Heaven and Earth
by Starlight Queen
Summary: Sequel to Fire and Ice. Renesmee and Jacob's marriage begins to cause problems, new relationships will be tested and the Cullens receive help from an unexpected ally. What will happen when two of our favorite half-vamps get some odd news?
1. Something Wicca This Way Comes

**A/N: This is the 2nd installment of my Breaking Dawn continuation story. The first book is called Fire and Ice for those who are interested in reading it before starting this one!**

~ Book Two ~

Heaven & Earth

Surviving death always comes with a price. For some it's the realization that you were so close to its icy fingers but slipped through only to be left wondering if it should have been your time. For others it's the loss of someone who got taken instead, the plight of grief and the eager fingers of despair that tangle you up in knots. I'm left wondering which price is mine to pay. It should have been an uncomplicated little hiking trip through a normal forest. Really, a town with the simple name of Forks should have been ordinary and yet I have to question the events that led us here to this not so ordinary fate. To figure out exactly what the catalyst was I would have to go back more than a few pages in this beaten little notebook – back to the night my sister, Piper had a dream. She'd called it a vision even though she wasn't prone to such things. Her powers lay in a very different, more earthen area of the craft's spectrum. She could shift into any living creature in existence and so it was impossible for me and our mutual sibling to take her seriously but then we always did have to take Piper with a grain of salt. Tristan had been the first to agree to go to the little meadow Piper had _seen _in her dreams where our supposed destiny awaited. It was supposed to be a fun way for us to celebrate the solstice, to honour the goddess with an idiotic trek through the foggy woods to a place that may or may not exist and for me it would hopefully be just the excuse I wished for to honour our parents. Thinking back now I realize we should have simply stayed to celebrate with the coven in the tiny area of Central Park that the city of New York _graciously _allowed us but I figured what the hell – we had braved the womb together, the death of our parents and our ascension to power; How hard could a little road trip be? I could bore myself to tears writing about the weather on the trip down, the hike that had left us all agitated and bickering or the replay of what Piper had _really _seen but instead I think I'll get straight to the point. Death came for us that night. It came in the form of a snarling, crazed being that we'd thought only existed within the realm of ridiculous late night horror movies – a vampire. It wasn't the cuddly, dry-witted Dracula version that one might see in a movie but an animalistic humanoid with rock hard flesh and eyes so thirsty red they were like depthless pools of blood. Even my power to use the elements hadn't been able to hold it for long but of course the damage had already been done – It had killed our beloved Tristan with one rabid bite. Or at least that's what I thought as I watched the light go out of his impossibly blue eyes and heard his last breath escape. I remember the anger boiling up like volcanic ash and the sting of electricity as I called a lightning bolt down from the cloudy skies. It had shot though my fingertips like liquid zapping the creature incapacitated to the ground before he could finish feeding on what was left of the third piece of me. Through the haze of the white hot current and my own seething fury I had seen an angel tearing through the trees. His beauty was such that at the time I had thought I too had died and this tall, unfeasibly blond man with eyes made of ocean water and spun gold was coming to take me to my parents. Then hell's hound broke through the brush quaking with a barely sustained howl. He was far too large to be a regular wolf and I had figured it was clearly judgement time for me. Both heaven and hell obviously wanted my soul. In my head I began to tally up all my sins along with all the old ladies I'd helped across the street, lost wallets I'd returned and favours I'd done for people I otherwise wouldn't give a crap about. Confusion settled in when Piper decided it was a good time to shift into the more feline form of a jaguar, her personal favourite, and attack the hound from hell. With one swipe she had torn through its flesh; her claws digging in with a ripping noise so sickening it had stopped me cold. I'm ashamed to say that my control completely wavered then and the electric bolt that had held the menacing creature writhing in a jolty cage broke. I was in far too much shock, or at least that's what I'm going to tell myself and anyone who asks, to brace myself for the impact of what felt like frozen rock knocking me to the ground. So, it hadn't killed me after all–yet. It was impossibly strong, taking up all my energy and strength just to keep it from getting a good chomp of my very human flesh. My arms had come up uselessly in defence but the creature was winning, leaning over me the same way he had leaned over Tristan, preparing to bite. It had been merely inches away from sinking its teeth into my arm when the angel floated into my view seemingly flying through the air. He tackled the vampire and with a strength that was obviously more than equal and sent them both rolling over the ground. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that my saviour was no more angelic than me and I instantly noticed the similarities between the two contenders. What happened next will live in the very deepest, darkest part of my soul for the rest of my life and possibly carry over into the next. It was a simple thing really, just a scream, _from a dead man_. I guess anyone reading this might not get the hint of sarcasm embedded in the word "simple" as it was far from that. Tristan was dead. Hadn't I seen him die with my own eyes, held his limp hand in my own as I tried unsuccessfully to staunch the blood flow?

Apparently not.

I knew without looking that Piper had heard it too or, rather, felt it; such was the usual way with triplets as closely bonded as we were. I had _felt _the life go out of my brother and yet there he was writhing and shrieking like a crazed animal. As if the night could get any more insane the wolf suddenly shifted into the form of a man, naked and recoiling as Piper had become suddenly distracted by the dead man rising. He was just a boy really with the lanky build of a teenager, a really _big _teenager and he was covered in his own blood; a gift from Piper the not-so-observant. The unlikely pair had obviously come to help when they'd heard our screams but Piper had seen them as the enemy coming to aid the first monster to darken our little camp-out. I guess that settles the sibling rivalry over whose powers of deductive reasoning are stronger. As I look back I wonder how so much can happen in such a small span of time, how confusing it was to watch the man I'd thought to be an angel ripping chunks out of the creature that had attacked us, his utter strength as he swiftly ripped the head clean off its body. In mere moments the monster was reduced to pieces that were quickly thrown into the fire we'd only minutes before been roasting marshmallows over.

Note to self: never eat marshmallows again.

The boy who had been a wolf was up and moving despite the deep wounds that surprisingly seemed to be closing before my eyes. He'd hauled on a tattered pair of cut offs from a bag that had been tied to his ankle; a strange but enterprising way to get around if you weren't magically inclined like Piper. Wolf-boy had asked angel-man what they were going to do with Tristan as if he were merely an inconvenience. I only remember hearing a name through the sounds of crackling fire and the stench of burning vampire parts-Carlisle. Sitting here now in this giant beast of a house I now know why the name had been spoken in such reverent and respectful tones. Had it not been for a chance encounter with a family of unlikely beings we all would have been lost. The confusion of that awful night is now at least somewhat behind us and we must now face the fate that Piper's vision has brought us to contend with. Maybe we _were _brought here for a reason, perhaps it was a hand reaching out from behind the veil to guide us but I'm not going to hold my breath even with what I know now. So you see, death always comes with a price and Tristan's is going to cost us dearly.

Aurora Cavanaugh sat in the high backed chair that was far comfier than it looked and closed her notebook with a snap. Sure, it would be easier and much more prudent to create a journal log on her laptop or even use a blog to center her thoughts as so many others did but Aurora was a private person with very old fashioned views on the subject of the written word. She believed, as any good writer did that there was a power in the scrawl of a word. No matter how hard you tried to erase it from the page there were always scratches and remnants left behind. She leaned back in the chair closing her eyes and thinking about how applicable that was to the situation they'd faced that night as Phoenix, the man formerly known as the angel and Seth the not so teenage wolf had carried Tristan through the woods while he bellowed and screamed. Only one coherent sentence had escaped his lips intermitted between the ungodly howls.

"Kill me"

It was easy for Aurora to slip back into the memory of that dark night. She had a very straightforward way of thinking and was constantly going over and over the events in her life to try and make linear sense of them. Sure, it was true that the story would end the same but the little moments in between were crucial to her logical train of thought. She remembered with perfect clarity her first meeting with the Cullen family. Before they'd even arrived at the mansion in the woods there was a crew of them, wolves and vampires alike, standing outside in the front driveway as if they were expecting them. The one Phoenix had called Carlisle had stepped up first taking Tristan swiftly and carrying him toward the house.

"How long?" he asked in a voice that would put seraphs to shame. He was beautiful and from the quick survey Aurora had taken it seemed more like a house full of supernatural models. They all had the same unearthly pale skin, the same golden eyes and impossibly graceful movements.

"I'm not sure. Maybe twenty minutes" Phoenix replied following along. Seth had gone back to wolf form and was currently surrounded by several others with various colours of fur. As odd as it was they seemed to be talking to be having some sort of meeting. "I destroyed it but I can't tell if there were others with him" Aurora desperately tried to keep up as they entered the bowels of the white and airy house.

"Damn, it seems were going to be too late" _too late. _The words echoed over and over in Aurora's ears. "Emmett, Edward go check the perimeter" Carlisle commanded and had Aurora whirling to see who he had been talking to. When through the open door she saw two of them leave even though they couldn't have possibly have heard him Aurora began to feel a little out of sorts. Maybe this was a nightmare after all, just a very vivid dream and she would soon awaken to the smell of freshly perked coffee in her New York loft.

"What the hell is going on here?" she heard herself yell exasperatedly through the roaring in her ears. Silence settled momentarily as Carlisle turned with Tristan screeching in his arms and looked at her with a pained but sympathetic expression.

"Please, just let me help him" he quietly implored and Aurora felt the hysteria bubbling up.

"...but he's dead. How can you help him now? He's dead. I saw him die" she cried frantically trying to make sense of a situation that had taken them all completely by surprise.

"Jasper" Carlisle practically whispered and as if he'd been there all along a tall man with eyes so beautifully pale and hair the color of burnt straw was beside her. Where had he come from? Aurora instantly began to feel calmer, lightheaded, almost as if she'd had a little too much wine. Carlisle's face seemed even more angelic than before "I can help him but you have to let me" Aurora nodded faintly and focused on Carlisle's kind eyes. She felt in that moment that he would fix it, he could fix anything, or maybe it was just the dizziness.

"Bella" Jasper spoke calmly and before she knew it a woman who appeared to be about their age came over and led Aurora to an impossibly white sofa. She _was_ beautiful but not in the traditional sense. With her long, chestnut hair waving to fall just past shoulders covered with a simple navy hoodie Bella looked almost out of place amongst the crew of perfectly dressed statues. If it wasn't for the color of her skin and the lovely sparkling wheat color of her eyes Aurora would have thought she was different. A much shorter girl dressed from head to tippy toe in designer clothing gently brought Piper over to sit beside her sister on the vast sectional sofa. A lovely woman entered the perfectly designed room so elegantly Aurora decided that she must have simply floated into the room. In her hand she carried a silver tray with two steaming china cups and a plate heaping with an assortment of finger foods. It reminded her that she had yet to eat anything since lunch and her stomach was still far too tied up in knots to consider eating. Jasper reached out to take the tray and it was only then that Aurora realized he had stayed beside her.

"Thank you Esme" he said and laid the laden tray down on the coffee table that looked as if it had recently been restored from a former antiquity. Aurora felt Piper's wracking sobs and as she laid her head upon her sister's shoulder the grief began to surface. There were so many questions swirling around in her mind, so many things that she needed to know, and seemingly no answers in sight. Aurora felt a hand gently stroking her back and when she looked up she saw Esme looking back with eyes that were so shockingly full of tenderness. She looked so _motherly _and yet it couldn't be possible for any of these people to be her children; could it? Esme looked far too young to be the matriarch of the family and yet she seemed to simply exude loving authority.

"Is my brother going to be okay?" Aurora asked but there was no response. Nearly everyone in the room had averted their gaze to someplace else, all except for Esme who sent her a strained smile.

"It's best if we wait for Carlisle. He will explain your brother's condition"

"His _condition" _Piper repeated finally turning her eyes up from the intense stare off she had going with her feet. "What does that mean? Why will nobody tell us what the hell is going on?"

"Why don't you have some tea, honey, while we wait for Carlisle?" Esme smiled kindly at the girl desperately trying to control her weeping and began to stir a lump of sugar into one of the cups. Aurora fixed her stare on the door where Carlisle and Phoenix had taken Tristan as if willing it to open. When the click of a door closing sounded she looked hopefully at the still closed door, sighed in defeat and leaned back into the comfort of the pillows. Edward and Emmett came up over the stairs and entered the quiet room solemnly. It was impossible for them to have properly checked the spot where Tristan had been attacked. It was at least a half hour away on foot and they'd returned in less than half that time.

"Did you find anything?" Bella said and glided over to Edward. With a strained expression he pulled her into an embrace so loving it nearly stole the breath from Aurora's lungs. They were a unit, so much a team that it would be obvious to even the very dense of individuals. When Aurora looked around she saw that most of them were coupled in much the same manner. Even though Jasper was sitting across the room, the dark haired, designer pixie had her eyes locked on him with the same infatuated expression he wore. Huge and menacing Emmett had immediately gone to the blond woman standing over by the fireplace. With one perfectly manicured hand she touched his cheek and oceans of understanding seemed to pass between them with only that simple touch. Relationships had always been something Aurora enjoyed studying for purely research related reasons, or, at least that's what she told herself. She was a writer by trade, a witch by heritage and a woman by nature. The woman in her very much longed to someday have a relationship with the same intensity that was obvious with so many of these people. Aurora looked back at Edward searching for answers in his melancholic visage since he seemed to be silently relaying the information to those around the room. It was apparent from the way that others about the room nodded ever so slightly that he must be able to push his thoughts silently outward. She wondered idly if he could also hear what she was thinking.

"Sorry Aurora. Where are my manners?" he said as if to answer her unspoken question and it became suddenly clear that he was a mind pusher like her father had been. She wondered if Piper, in her hysterical state, noticed it as well. "We found the spot of the...well, attack and there was no evidence to suggest that there were others. It may have simply been an isolated incident" he looked around the room as if searching the thoughts of the others. There was something else that he clearly wasn't relaying. Before she had a chance to even ask the wooden door opened and the angel stepped in. He was lovely to look at. His hair was so light it was practically white and styled in a series of spikes jutting out all over his head. He looked like something out of the anime movies she and Tristan usually watched together with his eyes glowing madly in their sockets. Their irises were the brightest shade of aquamarine she'd ever seen; so striking with the gold rims that surrounded them. He was tall and lanky but in a defined way that spoke of constant training. He looked straight at her as soon as the door was closed behind him but not before Tristan's howls echoed out through the doorway. It was a comfort, at least, to know that he was still alive. Or maybe he wasn't. It was all so confusing and yet so abundantly clear.

"Carlisle asked for you guys to come down" Phoenix relayed solemnly and gestured towards Emmett and one other large man. They were clearly the biggest of the group most likely the brute force of this strange family.

"You coming, Talan?" Emmett asked almost glaring over in the direction of the man standing next to another gorgeous blond and a dark haired pixie that looked eerily alike. Upon first glance one would not notice the reason for Emmett's obvious disdain but to a keen observer it was clear that Talan and the blond were involved. Their body language coupled with the way they looked at each other made it plain to Aurora that they were having what _they_ thought of as a clandestine fling. She thought to herself that a man like Emmett would not be one to trifle with even if you were matched in size. It simply wasn't possible for him to be jealous of Talan's relationship with the girl. He'd been far too wrapped up in the blond bombshell for that. His concern seemed almost fatherly which was strange since he was only maybe a few years older than the girl. Brother maybe? Aurora needed to shut her mind down. She was getting overloaded with the tone of all the different ways these people related to one another. Focusing her attention on Phoenix seemed to slow things down a fraction and she watched as he whispered something to the two men in a voice so low it was nearly silent. As soon as the door closed again Piper suddenly snapped to attention, standing up and stalking over to the doorway. Her forward momentum was quickly stopped by the boy from the woods. Seth stepped in from the hallway and Piper, too wrapped up in her tantrum to notice collided with him. He helped her to right herself and Aurora watched as Piper brushed his hands off and went to stand toe to toe with Phoenix who was still at the doorway. He'd been watching her too.

"I want to see my brother. Let me through" Piper commanded defiantly. Phoenix put both hands up and Jasper seemed to be there in a blink soothing her instantly with his presence. Aurora was far too numb with worry to let anger take over. Carlisle had given his word that he would help and she believed that he would do whatever he could. There simply wasn't anything left to do but wait.

"Carlisle will be up shortly to explain" Phoenix said as Piper went back to her quiet weeping and allowed Jasper to help her back to the couch.

"Explain" Aurora echoed as if the word held a wealth of meaning. Something was clearly strange about this whole situation, the people and this place but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. "It's obvious that something strange is going on here. This one, Edward, you're a mind reader aren't you?" she watched the expressions in the room go from solemn to deference in a breath. Without waiting for a response she continued "Jasper, you alter emotions and you...you all have the same skin color, the same eyes but that can't be possible. You're a family and yet that too is impossible; you all look the same age"

"Well I guess it isn't going to be hard to explain after all" Seth interrupted with a wry grin. Aurora's glaring eyes whipped over to the young, lanky boy standing with his arms crossed beside Phoenix.

"Seth, you can shift just like Piper. You all can" Aurora rose and motioned towards the group of copper skinned men and the one woman who stood together as if they were their own separate clan. "I'm not altogether sure yet if you have a talent, Phoenix" she nodded toward the doorway where Phoenix stood smiling oddly at her.

"Well it's not every day I come across a person who can shoot lightning from her fingertips" he shot back a little sarcastically. "So I guess we all have some explaining to do now don't we" She wanted to wipe that smug little smile off his face, to say something so brilliant in return that he would slink away to lick his wounds but before she could open her mouth Carlisle came through the door. He had changed his bloodstained formal clothes for a more casual button up shirt and khaki coloured casual pants.

"I see the speculation has begun" he said shooting a look at Phoenix that erased the smirk from his lips. Clearly, this man was the leader and it wasn't hard to see why. "I don't believe it's necessary for all of us to be here right now. I'm sure you can all find something more constructive to do with your time" The veiled command was instantly obeyed by most. Jasper stayed behind as well as Edward and the little, dark haired fashion maven. Esme remained perched on the little coffee table while Bella and the impossibly gorgeous blond stood together by the fireplace. It was clear that they were the core unit of the family. Phoenix lingered by the stairs looking over at her strangely before turning to climb. There seemed to be a huddle going on amongst the pack of wolf-men and woman and it seemed to be decided that Seth would be the one to represent them. It was a little odd and if Aurora remembered her anthropology classes correctly there was most always an Alpha wolf and yet neither of them seemed to hold that power. Seth strode over to sit on the arm of the couch crossing his arms over his chest with a painful wince. His brown t-shirt was crusted with dried blood and Aurora wondered why nobody, especially the doctor hadn't given him stitches or at least a bandage. Carlisle sat in the armchair before them and his face was familiar somehow. The expression reminded her of the doctor who'd stood in a hospital corridor and told them that their parents were gone. She had the distinct impression he was about to use the usual clichéd platitudes. Aurora watched his every movement, the tense way he laid his hands on the arms of the chair, the twitch of his mouth and the flicker of regret in his eyes.

"Would you prefer the good news or the bad news first?" he asked calmly and almost completely directed at her. Piper was obviously far too upset to deal with anything, let alone this.

"I've discovered bad news tends to go down easier when you still have the good news to look forward to" Aurora stated in a clear voice that belied the fact that she was holding her breath.

"There was nothing I could do to save your brother. He's gone. I am very sorry that I didn't get to him sooner" Carlisle's revelation sent Piper into convulsions. Her desperate moans were the only noises in the relative quiet of the room. Aurora sighed deeply. Though she had known what he was about to say it still felt like a knife to the heart that had already been broken.

"and the good news?" she questioned and saw Jasper lay a hand on Piper's shoulder. It was unclear as to whether the gesture was meant to soothe or restrain.

"Surely you must have some idea of what attacked your brother" Carlisle began and Aurora suddenly remembered the frantic trek through the woods and the one whispered word that passed between Phoenix and Seth. Though it seemed utterly ridiculous it was the only thing that made sense.

"Vampire" she whispered blowing out a breath. It was intense, the pressure building in her chest was enormous and Aurora just waited for the laughter to start. When there was only silence she looked around the room at the sympathetic faces of Esme and Bella, the barely contained smirk from the little dark haired girl and Jasper's thin frown.

"I don't understand. Tristan was bitten by a vampire?" she questioned. Her eyes were focused only on Carlisle's face, her lips set in a thin frown.

"It would seem to be the case" Carlisle responded in a sympathetic voice. "I know this is a lot to take in one night but it _is _good news. Tristan will still be alive in the most literal of ways although, he will no longer be human. He will become like the creature that bit him; a vampire"

"He'll be a monster?" Piper's voice was whispery and raw from sobbing. She was furious now, completely bewildered by the entire situation.

"That'll be up to him" Carlisle replied quietly. "If it's his choice we can teach him to ignore his more feral instincts in lieu of a more earthen diet" It all began to make sense to Aurora now. Carlisle and the others were vampires. In many ways they were similar to the creature that had bitten Tristan and yet so different. Clearly, it had been their choice to turn away from the lures of human blood.

"Vampires that drink the blood of animals, teenage boys that can shift into dire wolves; it's all a little much to swallow for one night" Aurora sighed softly and swallowed back the tears that threatened to spill. Shock was beginning to give way to grief and she didn't relish the sensation.

"Yeah well I hardly expected to come across a girl who can call a lightning bolt straight out of the sky and shoot it from her fingers. You lit up like a fucking Christmas tree and yet you don't have a mark on you. Maybe this is all just a clever enemy plot" Phoenix appeared with arms crossed over his chest and a sneer at the base of the stairs as if he'd been there all along. The idiot must have been listening at the top of the stairs.

"Let's please not forget panther lady over there. I certainly wasn't expecting to get reamed by a big cat tonight" Seth added clutching his chest with a wince. Piper laid her head in her hands and shook it violently from side to side. With that, Aurora decided anger was a much easier emotion than grief and shot up out of her seat. She tore off towards the angelic looking man she now knew with absolute certainty was a vampire. Angrily she poked a finger into his rock hard chest.

"You think _were _the enemy? That's a fucking riot. Really I'm laughing on the inside. It was your kind that killed our brother and you think we were somehow involved" The low rumble of thunder sounded off in the distance and Aurora could feel the life of the storm raging inside her. Fury was bringing her energy back and if vampire-angel boy didn't let up she would probably bring the house down around them.

"How do we know you aren't with the Brethren?"

"Who the hell are the Brethren?" Aurora waved her arms wildly and the wind began to pound against the windows violently shaking the trees in the yard. Lightning burst in a chain of electricity that lit up the dim room.

"Like you don't know"

"Phoenix, stop it" Esme cried from behind her but Aurora's attention was too focused on the irritated, obviously insane man. He towered over her in height but she stood toe to toe with him, unwilling to back down.

"No, I don't know and I'm starting to think you might be this family's resident jerk. We were _attacked, _lost a brothertonight and you want to blame it on us; are you really that cold?" She yelled gesturing towards a hysterical Piper. "Have you no soul?" That one question seemed to stop him in his tracks and with a frown he turned his gaze to the weeping girl wedged between Esme and Jasper. Bella stood behind her stroking the girl's hair. Seth sat on the arm of the couch shooting him a look of bewildered shock. Perhaps he had misread the situation but Phoenix refused to completely believe their story just yet. He would back down for now but if he discovered that they were a part of this insanity than there would be some serious hell to pay.

" I suppose I have no choice but to believe you for now but you've got to give us some answers. How is it that you can do that" he pointed out the window to the storm that had seemingly come from nowhere. Thunder and wind rained down shaking the walls while lightning continued to flash against the windows. Aurora struggled to calm herself down and as her breathing slowed so did the wind. When the flash in her eyes died down Phoenix saw a lightning bolt flicker out in mid air and the thunder sounded distant once more. As perplexed and wary as he was by this petite girl he couldn't help but find himself intrigued by her obvious gifts. He wondered idly what would happen if he combined his gift with her obvious talents.

"If I must label what we are I guess I would have to say that we're witches"

"Witches?" Phoenix snickered and ran a hand through his impossibly pale hair. When he looked up again his eyes were glittering with a humour that made Aurora want to call another lightning bolt just to show him what she could do. Exhausted and more than a little upset by the night's events she sighed dejectedly.

"Children of the craft, wiccan, warlock, whatever you want to call us; we were gifted with powers. Some believe the abilities come from a higher power and others, like me think it's simply genetics. Our parents were _gifted _as well and their parents before them; we come from a long line of hereditary witches dating back to Columbus and the pilgrims" All eyes had turned to her and Aurora suddenly felt uneasy giving up their secrets to people who were for all intents and purposes strangers. Of course it was unavoidable considering the situation. Carlisle stood and in his eyes Aurora saw fascination budding. He was clearly trying to quell his obvious curiosity; unsuccessfully.

"What a very intriguing turn of events" he said not quite able to hide the smile in his eyes. "May I ask what your individual gifts are specifically?"

"I guess it can't hurt to tell you. I have what we call elemental control. Piper can shift into any living creature and Tristan, well, Tristan's ability is fire; he's...was a flamethrower" Aurora corrected herself. Carlisle nodded slightly.

"Well I guess that explains the burnt door downstairs. I'm having Talan and Emmett watch over him in case he tries to do it again. His abilities will be out of whack for a little while"

"How long will he need to be _watched _for?" Aurora asked and looked over to see that Piper had fallen asleep nestled against Esme. She needed the answers but now she had to figure out what they were going to do in the meantime.

"It'll be a few days before the change is complete and even then you won't be able to be around him without constant supervision from one of us. You must understand that when he awakes the only thing he'll want is to feed. We'll have to take him hunting and he will have to learn to live on the blood of animals. The process can be lengthy"

"Not always" Edward interrupted stroking Bella's arm affectionately.

"No, but we all know Bella was a bit of a special case. She was completely prepared for the change and her ability helped her to control the bloodlust. Unfortunately, Tristan will not know what is happening to him and he definitely won't have the same control"

"Trust me it's a lot harder than it looks" Jasper interjected coming to stand beside Carlisle. "It does get easier with time. Perhaps the fact that he has never tasted human blood will help?"

"Perhaps" Carlisle replied quietly "We'll just have to wait and see"

"Is there a hotel nearby, somewhere we could stay? Piper and I will want to stay here in Forks until he's deemed capable to resume his normal life" Aurora watched the sea of faces in the room turn grim.

"He can never go back to his normal life, Aurora" Phoenix murmured quietly behind her and she whirled to face him once more. His eyes were drawn, his lips set in a hard line and for the first time Aurora saw a little sympathy reflected in his facade. "It has to be as if he died; at least to the human world"

"Phoenix is correct. I'm very sorry" Carlisle's voice sounded far away and Aurora simply felt too drained to argue or express the outrage. Why was this happening to them?

"We won't abandon him" She said firmly and glanced around the room. Esme looked up to meet her gaze and with a nod to Seth gently shifted Piper so that he could lift her. His huge arms came around her and raised her up as if she were light as a feather.

"Follow me. You can both stay here for tonight. We'll figure the rest out in the morning" Esme shot a chastising look at her husband. Aurora watched as Seth began to carry her sister up the stairs.

"Before we go I have one more question. Who the hell are the Brethren?"


	2. The Head of a Pin

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this story up. I think I rewrote the 1st chapter about 5 times until I was satisfied**. **This chapter was easier. Please show me love by reviewing. The more reviews I get the more motivated I am to finish the next chapter and trust me when you get to the end of this one you're going to be begging me to add it! **

**I also compiled a bunch of pictures of my dream cast ;) It's what I see when I write this. However I can't seem to add it here. Anyone know how to add a picture?  
**

Chapter 2 - The Head of a Pin

The morning sun beamed down upon a tangle of bodies illuminating two very different skin colours twined around one another like ivy wrapped around an old oak. When Jacob leaned down to brush a kiss over her forehead Renesmee decided it was a fantastic way to start the day.

"Do we really have to go back?" she murmured curling her naked body firmly into his. Jacob lifted himself up on his elbow and peered down at her. She was glowing like a torch, bathed in the sun's rays and though Jacob hated to make her even a little unhappy he knew it was time. Reality was waiting for them.

"It's been twelve days, Ness. I don't want to go back anymore than you do but you know we have to"

"I know" Renesmee replied quietly. "I don't have to like it though" Jacob flicked a finger over her sweetly wrinkled nose.

"Hungry?" he asked. If he knew his girl she was probably ravenous. Sex appeared to give her an almost unhealthy appetite. Together they'd devoured most of the deer population around their house.

"Starving" Renesmee answered with a coy smile. "We can hunt on the way up to the house" when she got up from the bed Jacob thanked every god he could think of for that perfect ass of hers. Her hair tumbled down over her back in a mad tangle of curls and when she turned her head to look at him he was struck dumb by her beauty. Even after nearly two weeks he still found it hard to believe he wasn't simply having a very vivid dream. "Coming Mr. Black?" her eyes narrowed teasingly. Even though he knew she was tempting him Jacob simply couldn't resist. Swiftly he grabbed her by her by the arm and crushed her against him. Renesmee happily found herself back where she started and giggled as she rolled them both, effectively pinning him to the mattress. Jacob's wicked grin sent shivers through her and the feel of his muscles under her hands stoked the lust already burning in her loins. She wondered idly if she would ever get enough of him and hoped desperately that it would always be just like this.

"I think we can spare a few minutes, Mrs. Black" The reverent way he used her new title never failed to please her. With a smile she laid her hand on his warm cheek. Jacob nuzzled into her cool palm grinning at the memory she showed him of their first night together as husband and wife. He saw the brightness of her eyes as he carried her over the threshold of their new home, the wonder in them when she discovered the rose petals leading to the candlelit bedroom and the pleasure in them when he'd laid her down against the pillows and made love to her. Since she'd broken through the block between them it had become Renesmee's favorite way to communicate and Jacob had to admit it was nice to be able to live it all over again. He reached up to tenderly brush the hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Her hand came up to join with his and she held it's warmth against her icy cheek. It was a sensation she would never grow tired of. Renesmee kept her hand on top of his and moved it down her neck to rest over one full breast. Jacob's eyes had grown intense and it was already clear she had accomplished her mission to keep them both in bed. She moaned softly as he brought his other hand up, caressing her in a circular motion that left her breathless. Jacob began to forget why he had ever wanted to get out of bed in the first place. Touching her and seeing her bow back beneath his hands, feeling her grow wet and ready was making him crazy. Despite the many hours they'd spent making love in every available area of the house he was still desperate to have her. Jacob peered up at her and just watched her eyes go blank when he used his fingers on her, toying with her clit just how he discovered she liked it. When she was half mad with sensation and frantic with need he drove his fingers into her. Renesmee bit her lip biting back a scream and leaned back as she felt Jacob's fingers stroking in and out. He curled them expertly pressing on the little button he knew would make her already half crazed cries turn to screams. She came hard and fast chanting his name like a prayer and yet she stayed upright and ready to take him in; or so he thought. With a playful smile she swiftly moved down his body, her hair brushing against his stomach and her hands questing. Renesmee wasn't quite ready to give up the control and when she nuzzled her lips against the length of him he was the one moaning. She placed a series of feather light kisses all the way to the tip and fixed her amber eyes on his face. The predatory gleam in their depths was intense as she slipped him into her mouth and heard his low groan. She used her tongue on him flicking it over the head of his marble hard cock as she suckled him. When Renesmee knew he could take no more, when Jacob was lost in the sensation she used her impeccable speed and agility and leapt on top of him. They both cried out as she took him in like a hot sword. Her hands splayed across his muscled chest as she began to ride. Slowly at first, just back and forth with a little hip flick that was testing, teasing and clearly driving Jacob to hysteria. Before she could quicken her pace Jacob flicked a surprised Renesmee onto her back with a cocky grin. He turned the tables on her then teasing her with shallow strokes that set her moans to desperate whimpers.

"Jacob" Renesmee pleaded breathlessly as he hovered over her. He felt the tremors within her, the building orgasm and in one last teasing effort pulled nearly all the way out. Renesmee moaned in protest only an instant before he plunged. She felt the walls clamping down over his length, the pressure as he pushed silkily through and the satisfaction of release as the orgasm swamped her. Her cries were like a song and her hands gripped his arms tightly as he quickened the pace to bring them both to peak. Renesmee pulled him down and clung onto him as he came on a long feral growl. She ground her hips upward as he emptied and held him to her tightly, unwilling to let him move. Jacob nestled his lips into the hollow of her neck placing a breathy kiss on her cool flesh.

"Tease" he whispered softly into her ear turning her pants into breathless giggles that made his heart soar.

"Yep, I'm done with you now though. Now I want to kill something" She returned with a wicked grin. She was both angel and demon all wrapped up into one perfect being and she was his.

"Sex and murder; what a way to start the day" Jacob joked. Renesmee laid her lips lightly on his.

"If I get to start every day doing it with you I'll be one happy little vampire"

When they finally rolled out of bed and got dressed it was already noon and the skies were still clear. Renesmee hoped it was a sign that things were finally looking up. Standing in the field near the cottage she held a hand to her gurgling stomach feeling ravenous again. Her throat burned with hunger even though she'd only just fed. She could never remember being so hungry in her life but figured it was probably due to the constant lovemaking. Renesmee smiled to herself thinking about the days and nights they'd spent together as Jacob bounded up beside her. He'd let his hair get shaggy and it showed in the russet fur of the wolf before her. Blood dripped from his snout when he cocked his regal head off to the side letting her know something else was nearby. Of course she already knew. Renesmee could hear the steady heartbeat of the mountain lion stalking by at the smell of already spilt blood. Primed for the kill, she crouched behind a tree and waited for the sleek lion to saunter over. It walked over to lap at the fawn laying drained on the ground. Renesmee was readying herself to pounce when out of the corner of her eye she spotted Kalika exiting the cottage. Curiosity had her turning her head just in time to see her cousin spin around to kiss someone but since her view was obstructed Renesmee couldn't tell who it was. She moved a little to the right and swore when the lion, scenting danger took off through the trees.

_There goes the entree _Renesmee thought darkly. Before she could get a good look the door to the little stone house closed and Kalika was practically skipping down the walkway. Determined to uncover the secret of the little tryst she dashed straight up to Kalika and tackled her mischievously to the ground. Kalika's defensive growl quickly turned to a giggle when she saw that it was Renesmee who had jumped her.

"Has married life already driven you to the other team sweetie?" Kalika cracked and had the satisfaction of seeing amusement come in to Renesmee's dark eyes. God, it was good to see her even if she _did _smell like dog. Renesmee punched her cousin good naturedly in the arm.

"Definitely not" she said and unleashed her ultimate weapon; a series of images from the honeymoon.

"Christ Renesmee it's a little early in the day for that" Kalika winced and rolled to sit next to the little rock garden Bella had planted. "Thank god I haven't eaten yet"

"No of course you haven't. You've been busy" Renesmee replied gesturing towards the house and wondered why Kalika suddenly looked paler than usual. The smirk she'd worn eroded her lips setting in a firm line. "Who is it Kali? You can tell me or better yet..." Renesmee trailed off and reached out for her cousin's hand. When Kalika pulled it away realization came to her like a hammer to the chest. "Talan? It's Talan isn't it?" Renesmee demanded. When Kalika merely sighed she knew she'd been right.

"It's not like we planned it Ness. It just...happened" Kalika lifted her hands palm up and then dropped them to the gravel again. The expression on her face was pure shame and her eyes wouldn't meet Renesmee's directly. She thought of Renesmee as a sister and the fact that she'd taken her place with Talan made her feel all kinds of guilty. Even if she hadn't wanted him it still violated the girl code in a big way.

"Oh Kalika" Renesmee scolded "Why are you screwing with Talan? He's been through enough" The rage Kalika felt just barely skimmed below the surface. Probably the only reason she wasn't already on the attack was that it would have been true a few months ago; she would have just been screwing with him, toying with him for her own pleasure. How could she blame Renesmee for thinking the worst of her?

"It's not like that" Kalika exclaimed frantically searching for the right words to explain it. "I think I'm in love with him, Ness. I know I said I'd never put myself through it again and I know how ludicrous it is but I can't help it. I think I may have known it the first night I saw him but I...he was yours" She brought her knees up to her chest and pillowed her head on her crossed arms. "I'm so sorry" When her eyes finally came up Renesmee's met them with a look that was somehow simultaneously baffled and sympathetic.

"Wow. Are you sure I've only been gone two weeks?" she echoed blowing out a heavy breath and suddenly wondered if anyone else had suddenly coupled up. How much could a person possibly miss in the run of a few days? It was odd to see Kalika looking so ashamed. "What else did I miss?"

"You aren't mad?" Kalika seemed relieved by Renesmee's nonchalance.

"Why would I be mad Kali? I have Jacob and now Talan has you" she replied gazing off in the distance where she knew Jacob would be. "Now spill. What's been happening back at Casa Cullen" When Kalika didn't laugh it was Renesmee's turn to be confused. She saw her cousin chewing thoughtfully on her bottom lip as if deciding whether or not to tell. "Kali?"

"I'll explain on the way" she said swiftly getting to her feet.

The two of them arrived back at the house moments before Jacob came bounding out of the woods. As soon as they were out of the tree line Renesmee whirled to stare in open mouthed shock at the events Kalika had relayed; a newly created vampire and a coven of triplet witches saved from a sentient vampire in the woods by Seth and Phoenix. It was all a little hard to believe that so much had happened in such a short time.

"Is the universe playing some kind of cosmic joke on us? I mean, we still don't really know _why _Corbin and his merry band of fangsters are after us and now this. How much more can possibly go wrong?" Renesmee raved peering through the trees at Jacob changing behind a tree. He had obviously gotten the same information from the pack and he looked just as stupefied.

"You really shouldn't have said that. Every time someone asks that question it's inevitable that something worse will happen" Kalika winced. "You'd better get inside. Tell Phoenix to get his lazy butt back to the cottage. It's his turn to watch the boy" Renesmee nodded dazedly still in shock about the newest vampire they were keeping at the cottage for the safety of his sisters. When she entered the house Renesmee was immediately greeted by Phoenix who was already on his way out the door.

"Hey Ness, how was the honeymoon?" he asked and his aqua coloured eyes lit up with barely checked humour.

"Great" Renesmee replied "How does it feel to be a hero?"

"Oh, it has its perks" he replied and Renesmee watched his eyes soften as a girl descended the staircase. She was pale for a human and wore her flame red hair in a bushy ponytail that made Renesmee wonder why Alice hadn't attacked it yet. "Aurora, this is Renesmee. Renesmee, Aurora"

"I've heard so much about you. Congratulations on your marriage. I apologize if all this drama is the cause for cutting your honeymoon short" She was like a whirlwind of random thoughts all well placed in perfectly crafted sentences. Renesmee shook the hand she offered and saw the events of the night they'd been attacked. It was just a flash but it was enough to understand the pain Renesmee could feel boiling below the surface of the memory.

"Thank you" Renesmee replied awkwardly. "I'm sorry about your brother" she bit her lip and idly wondered what a person was supposed to say in such a situation. _"Gee I'm sorry your brother had to die and become a monster" _just didn't seem to cut it.

"Oh, it's okay. Tristan seems oddly pleased by this particular turn of events" Aurora looked over at Phoenix's retreating back and her eyes lingered just a little bit longer than was normal for a friendly glance. "Well I'd better get going. I'm going to try to visit him again today. Cross your fingers that he doesn't try to eat me this time" Her candour was very refreshing if misplaced and Renesmee was left to wonder whether it was the elusive Tristan or Phoenix she should be worried about. Jacob entered the house just behind them and came to stand beside her.

"So that's the witch" he said pointing behind his head with a thumb.

"I guess so or at least one of them" Renesmee took his hand into hers and looked up to the top of the staircase. "Ready?" she asked with a half frown.

"Sure, I'm ready. I hope your father can hold himself back from killing me when he reads our minds though" Jacob cracked only partially joking.

"You might want to keep the memory of that day in the woods quiet" She smiled wickedly at the memory.

"Oh, fuck Renesmee I almost forgot about that. Now it's going to be all I can think about"

"That was the plan" she giggled and led him up the stairs into the room where she figured they would all be. The place was like command central lately but she was surprised to find the usually teeming family room empty. "Wonder where everyone is" Renesmee pondered and went to peer into the kitchen.

"Maybe they're in the yard" Jacob strode over to the sliding glass doors and looked out over the bare ground they'd been using as a training field. "Nope not out there either" The sound of scuffling feet across the ceiling alerted Renesmee to where they all were. With one hand she lifted her finger and pointed up towards the ballroom. Clearly they were planning some kind of surprise, Alice's doing no doubt. Jacob nodded and together they went to the ballroom. The lights were off and the heavy brocade drapes were drawn. With her heightened eyesight Renesmee could see that the room had been decorated and there was an actual cake sitting atop a little table in the corner. She grinned up at Jacob and pulled him through the door with her to a chorus of _surprise _and _congratulations. _Jasper and Alice threw the curtains back to reveal the fruits of her decorating prowess. Alice had been a very busy little bee. Esme came first to hug them both in turn.

"Welcome to the family" she said to Jacob in her usual cheery tone. Renesmee saw that just about everyone they knew was there; vampires, humans and wolves alike. Charlie stood next to a punch bowl talking with Leah and Seth's mom and Jacob's dad looking as awkward as ever. The boys were standing next to the simple three tiered cake sipping beers and gesturing for Jacob to join them. Renesmee gave him a little push and went over to her parents. Her father was already looking strained and Renesmee did her best to keep her thoughts to herself for both their sakes when she hugged him. He held on to her tightly for a brief second and then let her go with a forced smile.

"Alice and I thought we should have a little party to celebrate since you guys just ran off after the nuptials" her mother swept her into a warm embrace. "Congrats, sweetie. You made the right choice" she whispered.

"I think so too mama" Renesmee replied looking over at Jacob downing his first beer in one greedy gulp. Out of the corner of her eyes she spied Kalika flouncing into the room with Talan on her heels and a cocky smirk on her face. _Got you _she mouthed.

"Okay, everyone I think it's time for the newlyweds to have their first dance" Alice clapped her hands and brought the whole room to attention. It was an odd thing to see such a tiny person take complete command of an entire roomful of people but Alice always seemed to pull it off. Jacob's gulp was audible and terrified. He choked on the mouthful of beer he'd been swigging so much so that Embry smacked him heartily on the back.

"Come on man" Seth moved from his spot next to a pretty young girl with perfectly styled, dark, brown hair and eyes so big and blue it was almost eerie to look at her too long. Renesmee figured she must be the other sister. "The sooner you dance the sooner we get cake. Leah made it" Seth finished and he and Embry both gave him a push towards the dance floor. Renesmee laughed at his obvious reluctance and started towards him but was quickly stopped by Alice dashing over to pluck a stray leaf out of her curls.

"Oops I must have missed that one" Renesmee smiled at Alice and watched her lovely face drop and her eyes go blind. Her arm was still held in midair and the green leaf fluttered from her fingers soundlessly to the floor.

"Jazz" She whispered hollowly when her eyes came back into focus. Her body was slumping, nearly about to hit the floor when Jasper's arms caught her. He picked her up smoothly, lifted her to the nearest chair and knelt down in front of her.

"What did you see Alice?" his voice was laced with concern as he gently stroked her cheek. The room had gone deathly quiet all except for the sounds of footsteps as Charlie, Billy and Sue left the room. Neither of them really enjoyed being present when these incidents occurred. Alice looked up into Jasper's face, her eyes watery and her hair uncharacteristically dishevelled.

"It's perfect" she whispered in wry response. "Just fabulous" Alice stood momentarily losing her balance and brushing off Jasper's hold.

"Alice. Why are you blocking me?" Edward asked wincing when the only thing he heard in her mind was a scream for him to keep out.

"Trust me Edward it's for your own good" Alice replied in a dry tone.

"What is it Alice?" Renesmee questioned and wondered if it wasn't simply another wayward vision sent by the Brethren to confuse them all.

"I can't believe this" Alice cried as she rounded on Renesmee. "How could you be so irresponsible? I mean really Renesmee our entire future rests on the head of a pin and this, well, you just had to go and follow your heart even when everything we know could turn to ash"

"I don't understand, Alice, what have I done?" Renesmee's expression was full of dread now. She'd known there would be consequences when she'd run to Jacob the night of her _almost _wedding to Talan. It was obviously time to pay the piper but could it really be that bad?

"Oh, and you two over in the corner; you're a part of this insanity too" Alice yelled at Kalika standing with Talan and began to frantically pace the room like a furious pixie. All eyes turned to them. Emmett's low growl was the only sound in the room apart from Edward's quiet snicker. "How could one little twist of fate cause so many new paths? How did I miss _this_?" Alice began to mutter under her breath some of it was coherent but most of it was incomprehensible even to the keenest of vampire hearing. Emmett looked as if he were about to lose it completely. Obviously, he had been just as unaware about Kalika and Talan as most of them. Renesmee wondered why her father hadn't told him for certainly he must have known.

"Alice, _what _the hell is going on?" Bella asked in an exasperated tone. Alice whirled and fixed a considering eye on the girl who had become a sister to her.

"If I'm going to say it out loud I'll need your shield" She marched straight over and grabbed Bella by the arm wrenching her away from Edward. "Maybe they don't already know. It certainly wouldn't do for their little psychic to use that irritating link to figure it out either" Alice muttered and Bella gasped as she was dragged around by a pacing Alice like a helpless dog on a leash.

"Alice, if you're going to have a panic attack could you please let me go. I feel like I'm in a blender" Bella cried and yanked her arm away from Alice's iron grasp. "I can keep the shield up quite well without you dragging me all over the house thank you very much" Alice simply continued to pace.

"I didn't know. Why didn't I see this coming?" she mumbled frantically.

"Alice whatever you saw, it can't be that bad" Edward stated leaning one outstretched arm over Emmett's bulky chest; a futile attempt at the restraint that would soon be required if Alice was about to reveal Kalika and Talan's little secret. Alice swivelled once more to glare at him, her eyes narrowed in irritation.

"Renesmee is pregnant" and with that the entire room began to buzz. It seemed everyone had their own way of expressing their shock but Renesmee was still processing the hurried statement. She spied Jacob's face simply draining of colour and briefly wondered if he might simply pass out.

"I'm...pregnant" Renesmee said slowly as if she were speaking a foreign language.

"I retract my earlier statement" Edward interjected, grabbing a handful of his hair in frustration and pacing in much the same manner as Alice had been. Jacob simply laughed as if it were the funniest revelation to ever reach his ears.

"Good one Alice, pregnant" Jacob echoed and when nobody started laughing with him the realization slowly began to creep in. His smiling face fell and his eyes instantly went flat. "She's joking, right? Bella, tell me she's kidding"

"I don't think so, Jake" Bella replied standing impossibly close to her husband. It wouldn't do to have him kill Jacob now and it was taking all of her strength just to keep the shield up around them all.

"Then it must be your visions malfunctioning again. It's the Brethren's resident seer sending you false images again" Jacob knew he was grasping at straws but couldn't seem to help the steady stream of words. He looked over at Renesmee for confirmation and saw the same shocked confusion. She stood still as a statue, her face a stony mask and her eyes wide.

"I am _not _mistaken and if what I saw is correct the child is growing very fast" Alice replied still pacing back and forth. "You _are _going to become parents, and fast" Jacob's face simply fell. He couldn't believe that he hadn't seen this coming, taken the proper precautions but, he hadn't figured it was possible.

"Oh now you've gone and done it" Kalika teased. She strode over to Renesmee and laid a hand over her perfectly flat stomach. "Congrats" she said crossing her arms with a sarcastic smirk. Suddenly, her little tryst with Talan wasn't such bad news after all despite her father's barely checked snarling. Alice spun on her perfectly adorned heels and her eyes fixed on Kalika's face with narrowed concentration.

"Don't you act so self-righteous Kalika Isabella Cullen" she chastised roughly "...because you are too" Alice poked her finger into Kalika's belly and looked up into Talan's shocked face.

"Congrats daddy" Alice remarked and folded her arms over her chest. The room had gone deathly silent but for the sounds of Emmett's obvious fury. If somebody didn't stop him there was going to be a repeat of the Embry incident.

"I'm going to take you apart piece by piece and them I'm going to..." Emmett didn't even bother to finish as he took off brushing Edward's arm away as if it were simply an annoyance. He pounced over a chair and straight into Talan who was too stunned to block the attack. They crashed with a thud leaving a huge dent in the old wooden floor and rolling over each other before smashing into the mirrored wall. The glass flew around the room in shards and it seemed that everyone was in far too much shock to move.

Kalika thought bleakly to herself _How did this happen?_


	3. A Mystery Wrapped in a Riddle

**A/N: I'm not skipping the Talan/Emmett fight or the resulting resolution to the pregnancy shock just prolonging it a little. The next chapter will start where both Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 left off if that makes any sense. I just had to throw this in there since "Heaven and Earth" is really more about a new direction for some of the new characters mixed in with some of the old. I am trying to keep everyone straight and tell all the stories involved properly so things might jump around a bit more than usual but I will always tie it all together as you will see in the next chapter. I know Leah is getting terribly underwritten in this story but I have a severely juicy storyline coming up for her within the next few chapters.  
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**On a side note I have to thank you guys for all your reviews so far! You have no idea how happy it makes me to get reviews both positive and not so positive. To everyone who reads but doesn't review I ask you to come on and tell me what you really think. I want to hear your opinions, ideas, even your criticisms. Bring it on!!! **

**Thanks to KnightPrincess13 who gave me some info on uploading some pics for you all to see. I have a compiled picture of who I see as the new characters I've brought in as I'm writing this and also of Renesmee's wedding dress(es) lol. So keep a look out for those! **

**That's it. So please sit back, enjoy and then REVIEW!  
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Chapter 3 – A Mystery Wrapped in a Riddle

"So you brought me out here to kill me than?" Aurora cracked looking around at the spot Phoenix had insisted they stop at before going to see her brother for a second time. It had been precisely seven days since Tristan had died and two days since he'd woken up a vampire. She _and _Piper had gone to see him the day before but it had ended rather badly. At least Aurora liked to think that having your brother try to attack you on the very day that you had decided to go see him was a bad way for things to transpire. Piper definitely would not be coming back for a while yet. It had taken all of Aurora's persuasive powers to get her out there in the first place only for Tristan to turn on her as if she were a very appealing snack. She smiled up at Phoenix's frowning face and wondered who had charged him with the task to keep her safe. He clearly wasn't pleased to be around her or anyone for that matter it seemed. In the seven days she'd known him she'd seen the same damn expression; disdain mixed with something that looked a lot like indifference. He gestured for her to sit on the rocks that faced out over a rushing river and she obeyed still confused about why they were here.

"If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead" he returned and swore under his breath. Phoenix shoved the backpack he'd been carrying at her unceremoniously. "Leah insisted I give you this since you refused to go to the little party they're all having back there" Aurora took the backpack gingerly and let the awkward silence hang between them as she poked into the pack. There was a piece of wedding cake wrapped in foil and a roast beef sandwich on some kind of fancy bread that looked seriously delicious. Leah had become her ally in the house, a friend when her sister had been catatonic, an ear when she'd needed to talk and most importantly the one person who would give her answers about the mess she'd somehow fallen into.

"You could have given me this at the cottage. What are we doing way out here?" Aurora asked before taking a dainty bite of Leah's masterpiece. She'd been right about the taste; heavenly. Phoenix cleared his throat awkwardly and turned his gaze towards the trees on the other side of the river. He wouldn't look at her and she sure as hell was going to figure out what his issue was with her. It was driving her crazy and Aurora knew without a doubt her curiosity about him was simply not going to dissipate until she got the answers she wanted. She still didn't know what his power was. Everyone seemed to keep it locked up as if it was the biggest of the family's secrets. Even Leah had never seen him use an ability as the other half-vamps were constantly doing.

"I just figured you should eat before we got there" he said but it sounded like pure horseshit to Aurora. Still she nodded as if it was a very interesting assessment and watched him run a hand through his platinum hair. He wore a pale brown shirt and dark black pants under a navy wool coat and Aurora had to admit that it suited him even if it did hide the toned physique underneath. She watched him pace over to the cliff kicking a rock clean across the watery divide and figured it was probably now embedded in some poor tree miles away. "No, that's bullshit and you know it. I brought you here to try and get you to rethink this whole thing"

"Rethink?" Aurora mocked and nearly cringed at the scornful look he threw in her direction. Phoenix sighed as if he were dealing with a very slow and irritating child.

"You and your sister should just get the hell out of here. He's dead Aurora. Tristan is dead and he's never going to be the man you remember so why don't you just go" Aurora paused for a moment desperately fighting to keep her mouth from dropping. Who the hell did he think he was? She decided quickly that sometimes it was just better to fight fire with fire.

"So if it were one of your sisters you'd just pack up and go? Oh well, too bad she had to die but it's time to go on with _my _selfish life. Is that what you're telling me to do?" there was just an edge of ice in her tone but it was could look like they were blazing. His anger was bubbling to the surface and Aurora figured it was high time for it. She was tired of all the pretence, tired of him following her around as if she needed a bodyguard and definitely tired of his crappy attitude.

"Yes" he yelled exasperatedly and the light in his eyes only brightened.

"Well I guess you're going to be very disappointed when I tell you, and seriously this is the last time I'm going to say it, that I'm going nowhere. Not until Tristan can come with me"

"Do you really care so little for your own life? It's merely a matter of time before he kills you. Maybe Carlisle can teach him how to control the bloodlust, maybe he'll seem fine for a while even content with living on the blood of animals but eventually, one day he'll lose it and you and your sister will be a stain on the fucking carpet" Phoenix was practically screaming at her now, gesturing wildly with his arms and leaning down over her menacingly.

"What the hell difference does it make to you if he kills us?" Aurora jumped up from the hard rock and stood on her toes to yell up at him. She might be small but nobody told Aurora Kavanaugh how to live her life and that included half-breed animal sucking vampires.

"What difference does it make? You're right. Why the fuck _do _I care. You know what screw it I'll tell you why" he growled and rolled his eyes up in his head. "I've killed before Aurora. I killed someone I cared a great deal about and I know how it feels to have to carry that around. You don't want to do that to him; trust me" His spiky hair fluttered in the breeze that was gradually picking up around them. Stray pollen stems floated through the air dancing in the wind Aurora had stirred to life in her sudden fear. She watched the impossible fire fade from his eyes until they were pale as stone. The look on his face was so tragic it was obvious that he did more than carry it around with him. He took it out and beat himself with it routinely by the expression of sheer pain he wore like a mask.

"Who did you kill?" She couldn't help but ask. It was in her nature to be curious and once something was out of the proverbial bag she had to tear it apart and figure out the how and the whys.

"None of your business" he muttered and turned his gaze away from her once more. Aurora still stood close to him, a little too close and even though she knew it was perfectly natural for her to want to touch him in a comforting gesture her hand stopped in midair. It hovered over his chest but thinking better of it she curled her fingers into a fist and dropped it back down to her side.

"I'm sorry, Phoenix. Sometimes I go too far" she shook her head and sighed deeply. It was painful to be around him. The awkward silences, the gruesome glares had to make a girl wonder just what was wrong with her.

"Here's an easier question. Why do you hate me so much?" The look in Phoenix's eyes when he whirled was pure shock and Aurora instantly regretted having said it aloud. He grabbed her then in a movement so swift she barely registered the pain of his hand gripped tightly around her arm. A shock went through her whole body like a bolt of fresh lightning coursing just below her skin. The fire was back in his eyes and Aurora couldn't help but stare straight into the blaze. His eyes were mesmerizing, powerful. He leaned into her, right into her collarbone and just smelled her. She heard the moaning growl start low in his throat before it came out in an icy breath against her skin. Even though Aurora knew what he wanted to do, could sense his intention she felt no need to run; not an ounce of fear. As rapidly as he'd grabbed her he let her go and paced back to the edge of the cliff. Now she was completely confused. "What the..."

"I don't hate you Aurora that's the problem" he interrupted with his back to her. "What you saw yesterday, what Tristan did, that's just the beginning. I want to keep you safe and if that means I have to drag you halfway into the woods to knock some sense into you that's what I'm going to do. I just can't stand idle while someone else gets hurt because of me"

"I'm not following your insane logic" Aurora felt the familiar pull her emotions incited and the wind picked up blowing her hair out of the ponytail she'd fought it into. The flaming tendrils danced around her face and when Phoenix turned around all he saw was a feisty girl with furious eyes glaring back at him. "I don't need a goddamned protector! Can't you see that I can take care of myself? And why the hell would any of this be your fault?"

"Christ you really are a very stubborn woman aren't you?" Phoenix was exasperated. She hadn't been afraid of him, hadn't even shuddered when he'd gotten too close. Seeing Tristan was a bad idea and if he had to tell her the whole nasty business to get her to stay away than he would; Jasper be damned. He couldn't quite figure out why he felt so protective of her. She was just a human, a powerful one but a human none the less.

"Fine I'll tell you. I'll tell you all about my sordid past if you'll promise to wait a week to go see your brother"

"You'll tell me everything _and _you'll promise to let me see my brother in a week?" Aurora felt the triumph overtake her. She knew she should tell him to go to hell and stalk off to see her brother right now but it was just too tempting to hear the story. The writer in her _needed _to hear it.

"Take it or leave it"

"I want the whole story. All the details even the ones you think are too horrible to be said"

"Fine" Phoenix gestured to the boulder and when she sat perched like an eager schoolgirl he shook his head and sat beside her. The wind had died down to a dull breeze but he figured it would soon pick up again when she started to hear the "horrible details" He sat silently for a moment just trying to collect his thoughts and go back to the one night in his life he wished he could forget. It had been an odd twist of fate that had landed Phoenix in Alaska or rather a terrible act committed by Renesmee. Their two families had led a fairly comfortable life in the notoriously rainy state. Edward and Emmett used the cover of being brothers who'd gone into the investment business and they had all lived together in two houses built on one large lot on the outskirts of Portland. It had all changed in a blink the night Renesmee had come home bewildered and covered in human blood. As soon as she'd managed to tell everyone what she'd done, how she'd killed the young girl preparations began for yet another move. They'd gone to Alaska with the Denali's and Phoenix had very quickly become friends with Asher Denali. He hadn't even minded when Kalika had started dating Asher. It had become a routine joke between them but when Asher had introduced him to some of his _friends _it had become clear to Phoenix that things were about to take a very dark turn. Grady, Teddy and Lola had been half breeds like them but they didn't share the same "vegetarian" lifestyle that the Cullens and the Denalis had adopted. To Phoenix's sheer surprise he discovered that Asher was dining on the occasional human and he'd been appalled. He'd warned Kalika about Asher but she hadn't listened and in true form she angrily told him that he was obviously just jealous.

"What did you do when you found out?" Aurora asked interrupting the threads of the story Phoenix was weaving.

"I stopped hanging with him; spent a lot of time immersed in my studies. We went to a pretty small high school there with only about sixty or so students. I met a girl" he said and brought the image of Kyra's sweet smile into the forefront of his mind. The familiar pain washed over him as he described their first meeting, the way she looked, how he'd come to care for her so completely. He could still see her in his mind; blonde hair, blue eyes and the insane lack of fear she always exhibited. They'd snowboarded together, climbed the town mountain and he'd somehow managed to keep her from the more negative influences in his life until that one horrible night. It was supposed to be a simple thing; just meeting his family as she'd been begging him to let her do for over a month. Kalika had shown up with Asher on her arm and Phoenix had known things were about to take a turn for the worst. He'd tried to get Kyra to leave with him but she'd fought with him when Asher had suggested they go to a party. He could still hear her voice in his ear telling him that she'd go with or without him. What else could he do? It wasn't like he could tell her that she was about to walk in to a house full of vampires that wanted nothing more than to make her a meal. So he'd gone to protect her and had failed. As soon as they'd gotten there Kalika and Asher had gone to find a more "quiet" place. It hadn't taken long for things to deteriorate from there. Grady had held him trapped with his power to immobilize while Lola and Teddy took the girl he'd loved. They'd devoured her as if she'd meant nothing and forced him to watch. All he could do was scream her name over and over as he watched the light fade from her bulging blue eyes. Phoenix hadn't realized he'd gone silent until he heard Aurora's breathy sigh. He tried to keep the anguish inside, to bottle it as he'd done for the past year but it was becoming increasingly more difficult.

"So you see I killed her. I may not have been the one to drain her but I'd put her in that situation just by being what I am"

"It's not your fault" Aurora said her eyes gleaming with sympathy and sadness for the love he'd lost. "She made a choice and there was nothing more you could do"

"I should have stayed away from her damnit! I should have just told her to get out of my sight the moment she came to sit at my table in the fucking cafeteria. I'm poison Aurora, we all are and now that includes your brother. I can't watch it happen all over again to another person I care about" Phoenix was up and pacing again, shouting at her and gesturing wildly.

"If this is your way of telling me to get out of your sight it isn't going to work, Phoenix. I know the risks and just like Kyra I'm making a choice" she spoke calmly and clearly meeting his stare directly. Aurora wasn't going to back down; not now and not ever. "I didn't think you cared at all. I thought you were just staying around me out of some kind of misplaced duty"

"It started that way. I promised myself that first night when Seth and I brought you back here that I wouldn't let it happen again, that I'd watch out for you but you're making it _very _difficult" Phoenix dropped his hands down and watched her from behind those eerie aqua eyes. He hadn't meant to reveal so much but the girl was just too astute.

"So why didn't you just use your powers to stop it?" Aurora questioned softly.

_Yep, very astute. Clever girl _Phoenix thought with a roll of his eyes. The Cullen family had kept the secret of his power locked away for years. They'd decided upon discovering it that it was meant to be kept secret that he would not use it unless it became necessary.

"I don't have a power" he lied with only a twinge of remorse and saw the doubt shining in her emerald eyes.

"From what I've seen every one of you half breeds has a power which I find odd considering they only have one vampire parent and not all vampires appear to have a gift. It seems like one heck of a genetic anomaly but it's a consistent one. I think I've devised a hypothesis on that"

"Oh really" Phoenix replied with a quirk of his lips. "Are you a scientist or something?"

"No, but I did once write a pretty in depth article about the genetics of the alpine wolf. Some of the researchers I was working with discovered that when one of the Alpha wolves mated with a more common wolf the ratio and concentration of Alpha DNA to the more simplistic DNA was higher. In essence the more dominate Alpha characteristics were almost always included in the offspring's genetic make-up"

"Perhaps you should talk to Jacob about this. It seems like pertinent information for the more animal inclined" Phoenix smirked at her and waited for her clever retort. The girl always had something to say about everything.

"It's just an example, Phoenix. When applied to vampire and human crossbreeding it wouldn't be a stretch to deduce that when a vampire mates with a human the resulting offspring almost always gets the more dominant vampire DNA. This would explain why all of you have abilities. When a vampire bites a human their genetic code is already in place and therefore the only thing that changes is their body. If they already had a talent, like for instance Tristan's it would become more powerful with the change but when one of you is born you're predisposed to have abilities; born with power" She finished her speech with a smirk of her own. Somehow that had all made sense when she said it aloud even if it didn't in her head.

"Wow, Carlisle should be very impressed to hear your theory" The sarcasm that oozed from his tone didn't even seem to faze her. Phoenix figured he could dodge the true question but by the look on her face it was going to be next to impossible.

"It must be a terrible ability for everyone to keep it so secret" she stated and stood. Aurora strode over to him and this time she did lay her hand on his arm. Phoenix felt the little spark when she touched him and the unwanted pull that came with it. When she looked up into his eyes he saw that she was searching them for some clue, or maybe it was permission. He towered over her and when he looked down Phoenix saw the raw red finger marks already turning an angry purple on her arm where he'd grabbed her earlier. He winced and immediately shook himself away from her touch. Aurora stood back frowning at what she thought of as rejection. He had admitted that he cared about her but Phoenix obviously didn't _want _her. Well that was fine. It wasn't like she wanted him anyway; was it? It was definitely a question for her to ponder later when she was alone. "If you don't want to tell me than I'll leave it alone, _for now_" Aurora emphasized the last part and Phoenix believed that if anyone could get it out of him she would be the one.

"We'd better get back to the house, join the celebration" Phoenix replied changing the subject with obvious disdain lacing his tone. He looked down at his watch. "It's been over an hour. More than enough time for something horrible to have happened" Aurora smiled wryly back at him.

"Yeah I bet all hell has broken loose" Aurora joked and caught the little grin spreading across his face before he turned. So the man did have a sense of humour. It was going to be interesting to see if she could coax it out of that tough, militant exterior. Walking forward without looking she tripped on a stray root and when the ground came up to greet her a pair of strong arms came around her encircling her just before she could hit the rocks. Their faces were inches apart now as they had never been before with his extreme height and her short stature. Phoenix's eyes were so focused on hers it was difficult to see anything else. Concern and something strange but recognizable flickered in their depths an instant before they changed; lust. He swiftly lifted her without ceremony back onto her feet with what looked a lot like forced contempt marked in every facet of his stony face.

"Could you at least keep from killing yourself on the way back" Phoenix muttered gruffly. Aurora smiled blithely to herself. So he did want her after all.


	4. We Build and Then We Break

**A/N: OK thanks for the giggle **_sparklingpinkjedininja. _**There was a point when I was writing that last chapter where I wondered if anyone would see Seth and Phoenix's playful banter as a more than friendly thing but no they certainly won't be lovers. **

**Sorry for the tease...lol I build you up for this big showdown between Talan and Emmett and then feed you Aurora and Phoenix's little drama. Oops I did it again! ;) Here's my oath:**

**I promise to constantly keep you on your toes and never be too predictable, I promise to tell everyone's story to the best of my ability (yes that includes poor, underwritten Leah and Seth**)**, I promise to update as often as possible and finally I promise to finish this story even if it kills me! **

**Soooo please read and review. My reviewers are AWESOME! you too can be just as awesome if you review. Review and be counted amongst the awesome...lol ;)**

Chapter 4 – We Build and Then We Break

Nobody dared to move, Kalika wondered why nobody would move? Why couldn't she move? She pressed a hand to her belly and felt nothing. It was impossible, just crazy, even for Alice. It simply couldn't be possible. She couldn't think about it now with her father currently wrestling across the floor with Talan. The two of them were throwing punches with insane speed but neither of them seemed to register the hits. It was like a stone fighting a boulder. Glass littered the floor and another crash sounded as the little table that had been holding the wedding cake crashed to the floor. The cake slumped over landing with a splat on the quaking floor. Her father was winning, snarling and tearing into Talan with his teeth. Talan's growls echoed in the large room and Kalika knew she had to do something before Emmett killed him. She rushed forward into the fray.

"Daddy, stop it" she cried but her pleas fell upon deaf ears. "Please. You'll kill him" her scream pierced through the sounds of the growls and the hissing. She knew she would read Talan the riot act later for giving in and fighting back but for now the madness simply had to cease. Frantic now Kalika gave no thought to using her abilities or her own safety as she leaned down and grabbed her father's arm and desperately tried to wrench it free. It happened in a millisecond but for the others standing around and for Kalika it all seemed to occur very slowly. She heard her father's rabid growl reverberating in her ears and when he swiped at her, when she flew backward Kalika only had a moment to figure out what was happening before the floor came up to greet her. She hit the hardwood with such force that she could swear her bones shook. The pain as she smashed into the far wall was nothing compared to the shock of how she'd been launched there.

"Stop it this instant" Esme cried her voice booming through the large space. She dashed over and stomped her high heeled foot down between Emmett and Talan with such force it was a wonder the floor didn't simply crack. Emmett and Talan both looked up at her like little boys caught doing something terribly naughty. Esme leaned down over Emmett's sheepish face. "Do you see what you've done?" her voice was whispery and full of pain as she moved out of the way to give Emmett a full view of his little girl slumped against the far wall moaning lightly, her lovely eyes wide with shock.

"Oh shit, Kali sweetie are you alright?" his usual humorous candour was instantly replaced by a concern that only rivalled his obvious agony. He got up quickly and the broken glass crunched madly under his feet as he half ran over to a stunned Kalika. Her eyes were like bulging emerald pools and brimming with tears. Before he could get there Talan streaked over to her in a blur that stirred the air as if a heavy wind had blown through leaving Esme standing in stunned silence, her hair blowing back from her furious face. He got there well before Emmett and crouched down to put his arms around Kalika. The roar he let out was far stronger than any of them had ever quite heard before and directed straight at Emmett.

"Get back or I swear I'll kill you" he snarled. Kalika quivered in his arms and Talan was a little more than confused by the protective sensation coursing through him. He was shocked by the realization that he was capable of making good on that particular threat; he would kill for her.

"Please Kali. I'm so sorry honey. You know I didn't mean it I just..." Emmett stayed back but pleaded with his words and his movements. He held out his hands as if in surrender and heard the low growl coming from Talan. Realization slowly crept into Emmett that his own daughter was being protected from him instead of _by _him as it had always been. He hated the fact that it had taken such an incident for him to realize that he had to let them go; his little girls. Esme had been right. They were grown now and he had to stop acting like the papa bear. He had to respect Talan for standing up to him, even Embry for not giving in when Emmett had pushed him to the brink.

"Do you _finally _see what your pigheadedness has done?" Rosalie strode over with the click of her lethal stilettos echoing across the ballroom. She shot one angry look at Emmett before throwing back her blonde mane and exiting the room dramatically. Emmett stood there for a moment his eyes wide and his face twisted in obvious pain.

"I'm sorry" he whispered before taking off after her. Talan instantly settled down the moment Emmett exited the festively decorated ballroom and tried to help Kalika stand. He'd nearly forgotten Alice's little announcement what with getting jumped and rushing to his lover's side. The blinding fear began to creep into him again but coupled with it was confusion. How could this be possible?

"Is it true?" Talan whispered into Kalika's ear. He was looking for confirmation. Surely if she was having a baby she would know about it wouldn't she? He realized all at once just how clueless he was about the whole thing.

"How the hell should I know?" she hissed back. Kalika brushed his hands off completely irritated by his sudden need to take care of her. She could bloody well take care of herself and to prove it she stood up and directly faced Alice.

"Did you know this would happen? I want the truth Alice" Indignantly she tilted her chin upward and awaited a response. Alice spread her hands wide to encompass the whole room in the gesture then dropped them just as suddenly to rest at her waist. She glanced at Renesmee and then over at Kalika choosing her words carefully before she decided to speak.

"I knew it was possible for Renesmee. As soon as she chose to marry Jacob the future kept changing but I thought...I didn't think it would be this soon" Embry snickered and leaned in to crack an obvious joke with Seth. One scathing look from Jacob and they were instantly quiet again. "You have to believe me Kalika, I didn't know about your pregnancy until you touched Nessie. All at once I saw the two of them and knew you were pregnant too. How did I miss this?" Alice cried.

"Nobody could have known Alice. It's not as if Kalika and Talan made us aware of their...their relationship" Carlisle interjected coming to stand beside his clearly displeased wife. He wasn't quite sure what they had but it was obvious by the possessive stance Talan was holding that he cared very deeply for the girl in question.

"It wasn't exactly a secret" Edward scoffed earning a scathing look from a rather annoyed looking Bella. She'd been staring Jacob down with the same ferocious glare only moments before and Jacob had to thank his lucky stars that she was showing some restraint. He remembered all too clearly how she'd reacted the moment she'd discovered that he'd imprinted on Renesmee.

"When did this happen?" Carlisle asked and Kalika instantly wondered if her whole life had to be broadcast throughout the family. Wasn't she allowed to have a life separate from that of the others?

"Is anything ever private in this house?" Kalika shouted in exasperation throwing eye daggers at anyone who dared to look in her direction.

"The night of the wedding and...Well sort of ever since then" Talan stepped forward and spoke obviously unashamed. He was clearly not bashful and definitely saw no need for privacy in this situation. Kalika grabbed him by the arm before he could elaborate any further. The room went completely silent with everyone looking rather uncomfortable and averting their eyes. It appeared that most everyone else wanted nothing more than to be ejected from the conversation that had taken a rather odd turn into private affairs. Nobody spoke for what seemed like an eternity. Renesmee clung to Jacob; Alice had gone to sit in the chair with Jasper standing above her stroking her hair soothingly. Carlisle and Esme were together in the corner near Embry, Samara, Seth, Piper and Leah while Bella and Edward still stood behind the counter that had been set up as a bar.

"Could somebody please say something? Everyone's thoughts are far too loud and cluttered and some of you are just downright dirty" Edward interrupted the silence wincing slightly at all the voices he must be hearing in his head. Kalika groaned in frustration and paced over to where Renesmee stood placing herself directly in front of Carlisle. She needed some kind of logical reason as to why this could even happen.

"Yes we've been sleeping together but I can't be pregnant. Talan is a pure vampire. The chances are slim aren't they?" She directed the question straight at Carlisle but it was Edward who answered with a thoughtful expression.

"Not that slim" he breathed heavily out and gestured towards the daughter he had created with Bella when she was still human.

"It certainly has happened before. You children are living proof that it is possible for vampires to procreate" Carlisle explained calmly.

"Yes but with humans. I know that some vampires can reproduce with humans, obviously. What I don't understand is how Renesmee and I can bear children. Were both vampires" Kalika shot back frantically searching for a way to discredit Alice. Maybe it was a false vision. It wasn't like it hadn't happened before. Carlisle tried to smile reassuringly at her and Renesmee huddled together with each of their lovers beside them. The possibility of a new generation of Cullens was as terrifying to him as it was thrilling. He knew that all four of them must feel exactly the same but on a much larger scale. This would mean huge changes for the whole family.

"I would have to run some tests to confirm. An ultrasound would allow me to give you both a definite answer as to whether or not you are...expecting but I have to say that it _is _most certainly a possibility. You are only half-vampire after all"

"Run the tests, do the ultrasound and then take it out of her" Talan said gruffly. Kalika whirled to glare at him but found herself too stunned to speak. Carlisle opened his mouth and then closed it again as he watched the dynamic playing out before him.

"I agree" Jacob announced "I want it out of my wife before it has the chance to hurt her"

"What...?" Renesmee choked out obviously just as astounded as Kalika. Talan wrapped his arm around Kalika's waist in a gesture he must have figured would be comforting.

"It's going to be alright Kali, were going to fix it" he whispered into her hair and kissed her temple lightly with his icy lips. Something inside of her suddenly cracked and the fury broke free like a raging flood.

"Fix it" she echoed in a calm but icy tone that had Renesmee turning to watch. "You want to fix it do you? Well maybe this shouldn't have happened in the first place. Clearly you're still the scared little boy running away from anything that could break through to the heart I thought you had but clearly I was wrong. You're just a coward, Talan trying to get someone else to clean up _your _mess" she felt his hand grasping at her arm as she tried to whirl away from him. "I've been manhandled by the men in this family quite enough for one day thank you very much. Just leave me the hell alone" she hissed and violently wrenched her arm free from his hold. She streaked toward the doorway and bumped into Phoenix who had been standing in the doorway with Aurora on his heels. "Get out of my way Phoenix" she sobbed and pushed her way past him with a tearful and apologetic look for a puzzled Aurora. Talan watched her leave the room with more than a little regret and wondered how he had managed to screw it all up so badly.

"What the hell happened here?" Phoenix asked gesturing to the broken glass and the confectionary masterpiece that the floor was now wearing. Seth walked over to Phoenix and Aurora and leaned in close.

"Well it seems that your sister is about to have a B-A-B-Y" Seth whispered "Renesmee too"

"Is that even possible?" Aurora asked leaning closer to Seth so that the others might not hear their hushed exchange. Renesmee was currently asking Alice why she hadn't told her before and everyone seemed in on the conversation. It took Phoenix a little while to register that the word Seth had quietly spelled was "baby" and when he finally got it he started swiftly forward. He was going to strangle that bastard Talan with his own bare hands. Hadn't he seen the two of them sneaking off together and now she was pregnant. Kalika hadn't always been known for her good judgement when it came to men but this time she certainly hadn't traded up from that bastard Asher. He felt a hand holding him by the arm and looked down into Aurora's pleading eyes. How she had known his intentions he would never know and even though a part of him wanted to brush her off and let the anger take over another piece of him, a more settled fraction allowed her to restrain him. He let the growl that had been bubbling up die in the back of his throat. Instead he stood tall and shot meaningful glares in Talan's direction as the conversation ebbed around him.

"Go after her Talan, apologize" Esme commanded "Please understand that you can't make this choice for her nor can _you_ make it for Renesmee, Jacob" Talan saw the quiet strength shining in Esme's kind eyes and wished for just an ounce of her understanding and warmth. He was determined now to deal with whatever fate threw their way. "Go" Esme cried impatiently and finally Talan found the strength to move forward. He got as far as the doorway when Phoenix moved to block his path. He definitely had the height advantage over Talan but conceded the strength value to Talan. They stared each other down for a moment and Phoenix hissed at him just inches from his face, daring him to try something, anything.

"I know you're pissed and you have a right but I promise I'm going to make this right, Phoenix, I swear it" Talan stated with equal parts steel and determination. Phoenix folded his arms over his chest and eyed Talan apprehensively.

"If you don't make it right, if you hurt her any worse than you already have I promise that I will _end _you. Do you understand?" Talan nodded critically at Phoenix's conditions and waited for him to move aside. The moment Phoenix shifted he left the room and headed out to find her. He refused to lose Kalika now, not when he'd just found her. Jacob watched Talan leave fully willing to let Kalika make the decision for herself but he knew _he_ wasn't going to back down on this. He'd seen what vampire spawn could do to a person firsthand and refused to let his girl go through even a minute of it.

"Well I sure as hell am not going to apologize. If there _is_ a creature gestating in my wife I want you to destroy it Carlisle. Does nobody else here remember what happened to Bella or am I the only one who has any sense?" Jacob raged away completely unaware that Renesmee was quietly weeping beside him. She was more than a little confused. Hadn't he been the one to speak about children, the tree house he would build for them, the extra rooms he'd built in their home so why was he suddenly reacting like it was the worst possible thing that could happen to them? Her mother immediately moved to her side and cradled her softly into her arms. Bella glowered up at Jacob from behind the curtain that their identical curly brown hair provided.

"What's wrong with you?" she growled and began to lead Renesmee out of the room. Samara and Esme followed quickly behind them with Leah shooting one last icy stare at Jacob before grabbing a bewildered Piper by the arm and taking off after them. Aurora shot one resolute look at Phoenix and then scanned the room taking in each face of the remaining men before finally resting on Jacob.

"You should be ashamed of yourself" she chastised before whirling about with a flutter of untamed flaming red hair and stalking off to join the rest of the girls. Jacob stood alone in the center of the room looking around at the now completely male group and the destroyed party decor.

"What did I say?"


	5. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

Chapter 5 – Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

Phoenix stood in the corner of the room that had been Renesmee's and glanced at the red numbers flashing on the little clock; 2 a.m. The day had been a long one with odd hybrid pregnancies coming out of the blue and tons of the usual Cullen drama floating around. Kalika had run off with Renesmee to Leah's with one single threat. If Talan or Jacob came near the Clearwater house there would be an insurrection. Aurora had opted to stay and she lay across the bed breathing softly through her nose. It had become his habit in the past few days to sneak in after he knew she would be sleeping to make sure she would be safe. Piper had been staying with her for a while but after the incident with Tristan she'd taken Leah up on her offer to come stay with the Clearwaters. Phoenix hadn't been able to stand the idea of Aurora sleeping unprotected even if she was in a house teeming with powerful vegetarian vampires. He'd spent many a sleepless night going over and over all the nasty things that could happen; Maybe, Tristan would break out and come to find his sister, the Brethren could launch another attack, in this house the possibilities for disaster were endless. Despite being made aware of all the risks the girl somehow still managed to sleep completely sound and Phoenix had to wonder why it was he couldn't do the same. Sure she was attractive and sort of fascinating for a human but she was also stubborn, far too astute and totally infuriating at times. He watched Aurora stir in sleep from his perch on the little window seat with the moonlight slanting in around him. Her fingers came up to grab the pillow and she moaned softly through rosy lips. She was facing him now and the moon glimmered on her flawless olive complexion sparkling on her long lashes. He could see every facet of her face. The way her nose curved ever so slightly at the tip, her shining red hair didn't just lie against the pillow but, in the light seemed to be moving like it had a life of its very own. Phoenix was continually fascinated with the steady way her chest would rise and fall as she breathed, the sound of her heartbeat steadily thrumming was as wondrous as any classical composition. He'd had the misfortune of hearing his last heartbeat right around his seventh living year. Some half-breeds kept some of their more human characteristics like their need for sleep and the beating heart while others like him seemed to simply die once they reached the age of maturity turning almost completely vampiric. The only human characteristic he had left was the color of his eyes and even that seemed to frighten people. When Aurora moaned again Phoenix's concentration broke. A smirk turned up the corner of his stony lips and he had to fight back the laugh bubbling up in his throat. _She must be having one hell of a torrid dream_ he decided and crossed his arms over his chest. He'd never dreamed, not even once in his life that he could remember; he envied her for that. Aurora mumbled something as she dug her fingers into the pillow and threw her head back and Phoenix couldn't help but move closer so that maybe, just maybe he might hear what she was moaning about; old boyfriend maybe? Even better if it was an old _girlfriend_. When he stepped forward Phoenix immediately regretted getting so close to her. He could see now that she was more than simply attractive, she was undeniably gorgeous in tortured slumber. The urge to touch her was so strong it nearly choked him and when she twisted once more, when the blanket fell away from her he got a pretty good view of tautened nipples straining against the black cotton tank she wore. Her shoulders and chest were peppered with thousands of fascinating little freckles. There was an insanely sexy black pentagram tattooed over the rise of her breast with a feathered quill stabbing into it; the witch and the writer. Something about the way the little drop of blood trickling from the quill had been tattooed made him want to feel it under his fingertips just to see for himself that it wasn't really there. Instead he sat on the little night table with his long legs splayed out and just fingered the ends of her flaming hair. Aurora's eyes fluttered once. He froze and waited for her to yell at him, to scream at him to get out.

"Phoenix?" she whispered her voice husky with sleep and her clear emerald eyes opened suddenly. Aurora fixed them on him and Phoenix looked her straight in the eye; No point to back down now. He'd made an error in judgement by not staying where he was and now he would have to pay the price. Christ his father was going to kill him for this. To his utter shock she lifted her hand up to touch his face and when her warm thumb rubbed over his cool lips he felt something unwelcome stirring within him. She smiled up at him so beautifully he figured she must still think she was dreaming. He felt her reach up to tug a stray lock of his hair playfully. "If you're going to spend the night in here you might as well be comfortable" her voice was dark and full of promises. She moved her hand down over his chest covered only by a white tank top that clung to his languidly toned physique and grabbed a fistful of fabric pulling him forward. Later he'd tell himself that he hadn't been braced for a female onslaught, that he would have stopped her if he could but she seemed to be bewitching him with those mysteriously feline eyes. He was certainly no virginal little boy and he knew what she was implying. He also knew that he should stop it before one of them got hurt he just wasn't sure who he should be the most concerned about. He dropped to the soft mattress beside her and stroked a hand over her smooth face. Passion was building so quickly it was impossible _not _to get caught up in the onslaught.

"I thought you found me detestable" he whispered and moaned when he felt her lean in to nibble his ear.

"I do; I thought you found me infuriating" her murmured reply came out in a breathy sigh as Phoenix cupped one of her breasts in his big hand.

"I do"

"Now that we have that out of the way" Aurora finished and finally mated her lips with his. It was like touching her lips to an ice cube; shocking and pleasant all at once. Too eager to feel him, to tear away the barriers between them and take what she wanted, what she needed Aurora pressed her body firmly against his. She lay back willingly as Phoenix rolled over her and lifted her body up to be closer to him, to mould her body into his. The growl he let out reverberated into her mouth and she was astounded to discover that the sound didn't frighten her. It only fanned the flames of desire licking their way through her. He was like a chained animal and Aurora was determined to let him off the leash. His hands were firm and when she felt him lift her shirt up, felt his knuckles brushing over her aroused nipples she cried out. He used his lips on her touching them briefly to hers, dipping his tongue teasingly into her mouth before taking a journey down her throat, just lightly over the little pentagram tattoo and finally when she was half whimpering she felt his tongue slide over her nipple. Aurora fisted her hands in his hair and let him do just as he pleased. He teased her with his tongue, flicking it over one nipple and then the other while he held both her breasts clasped tightly together. When he finally took her into his mouth and began to suckle eagerly Aurora had to bite back the scream. She'd never been quite this thoroughly pleasured by any man and considered it her good fortune that he'd been spending the last few nights in her room. Phoenix wanted to stop himself but there was a part of him, a very dominant part that just wanted to throw caution to the wind and for once in his life let go. The feel of her skin under his hands, the sound of her heartbeat just beginning to race as he slid his hand down her belly and the sharp intake of breath she took when his hand dipped under the waistband of her shorts finally snapped him free. There was no going back, and now he would rather die than not have her. He was thrilled to discover that she was naked under the shorts and completely smooth under his touch. She writhed beneath him as he cupped her and Phoenix felt the warmth begin to pool despite the ice in his touch. One long finger lanced into her and Aurora could have screamed from the shock it produced. He toyed with her, mercilessly plunging into the hot folds then rubbing her clit with his fingers only to pierce her again. It was like nothing she'd ever experienced and she felt the pressure growing more and more heavily with every new sensation. Phoenix lifted her hips and slid the little shorts down over her legs with one hand while he rubbed her with the other. When she tried to wiggle her hips back down he held her trapped and knelt down to flick his tongue over the little nub that was already swollen from his attentiveness. He expertly slid his tongue back and forth while his finger dipped in and out of the wet heat. Her breathless moans were playing like a melody in his ears, her hips fought to be freed but she was already succumbing to the fall and Phoenix wouldn't be satisfied until he had her screaming. Feeling the muscles begin to clamp down around his finger he slid it out and replaced it with his tongue. Her shocked gasp pleased him insanely and when she came he feasted on the juices smiling triumphantly. Half mad with a pleasure she hadn't expected Aurora grabbed the angelic looking god hovering above her hard by the hair and brought herself up to wrap her legs around his waist. What she lacked in stature she clearly made up for with flexibility and Phoenix simply laid back and let her go. It was like a competition now, he understood the fiery gleam in her eyes perfectly, and knew she was going to do her best to drive him over the edge. Aurora didn't take things slowly, it was impossible for her to do so now. She could feel the obviously more than ample length of him straining against the thin board shorts and knew it was going to be difficult to stop herself from simply freeing him and taking a hard, fast ride to the finish. To quell the fire rising up she kissed him hungrily and felt his hands come down to cup her ass tightly. He was obviously just as ready as she was to take that quick trip and that's when she realized she had the upper hand. She broke the kiss and fisted her hands in the tight tank top he wore ripping it clean over his head with only a little help from Phoenix and a saucy grin. He tossed it unceremoniously to the floor and grabbed her again running his hands up her back possessively while they kissed. Aurora's head fell back on a moan but she wasn't quite ready to concede yet. She un-wrapped her legs from his waist and knelt earning a disappointed little groan that only spurred her further. With fingers quicker than lightning she dispatched with the ties and buttons that kept her from being with him more fully and pushed them down over his extremely long, well built legs. Before Phoenix knew what was happening she'd already taken his throbbing cock into her mouth. He couldn't quite figure out how she'd managed to get there so quickly but honestly couldn't have cared less. She was bent over him like a cat preparing to pounce and he had one hell of a view of her fabulous ass straight ahead. As focal points went Aurora's ass was supreme with another tattoo scrolling over the lower part of her back. This one was a thunderbolt spearing into a tornado with rocks looking like they were quaking underneath giving way to a windy trail of black inked scrolls; too sexy for words. Unable to stop himself he grabbed onto the curved mounds pushing her hot mouth further down over his cock and growled appreciatively at the way she used her tongue to flicker over him like a hot flame. If he allowed her to continue it would all be over before it ever really began. Phoenix swept her up into his arms so swiftly Aurora didn't even know what was happening until her back was pinned to the soft mattress. He was hovering above her wearing nothing but a little platinum crest on a rope chain and a ferocious gleam in his eerie eyes that turned her bones to jelly. He skimmed his hands up over her sides and used the power of his legs to spread hers apart. Eager for the pressure, frantic for the thrill Aurora opened for him and wrapped her legs up over his waist. He grinned down at her looking very much like the ethereal being that she had once thought him to be. She wrapped her fingers around the little pendant he wore and used it to pull him down to her. Phoenix watched her eyes close and her lips part on a broken moan when he finally sheathed himself into the heat. He groaned in tune with her and fought to push himself further but discovered to his utter shock that she was still unbroken. Suddenly nothing was what it seemed, she wasn't the seductive little temptress, the experienced witch he'd thought she was but an innocent; a goddamned untouched virgin. Sensing his hesitation Aurora bit her lip and splayed her hand over his cheek looking meaningfully up into his pale, moonlit eyes.

"Please, Phoenix" she sighed and used her legs to hold him trapped within her. "Be mad later but please finish it. Take me now or forget me forever" He searched her eyes for any sign that she was unsure, any tiny flicker of fear and found nothing there except the fervent need. There was no way for him to forget her now so he had to finish it but he wished that he'd taken her with a little more finesse, maybe lit some candles or something, geez. Instead he did what he could to quench the moment of pain he knew she would experience by fusing his mouth to hers. He felt the barrier between them break as he quickly pierced through swallowing her first cry with his kiss. Completely buried inside her he began to move slowly aching in his own brand of heavenly misery at the insanely tight walls clamped around his length. She sighed out his name as he slowly took her up. Phoenix brought his hands up to tangle his fingers with hers and felt her grip on tightly as she pushed her hips down sending a shock wave through the both of them that finally snapped the last tether of control Phoenix had left. He wanted to hear her scream his name, wanted the primal sensation of knowing he'd been the first to conquer her so completely. Their hips moved in perfect sync, their bodies fitting together like two halves of one whole and when the tidal wave swept them up, when they were both completely swamped in desperation she finally opened her eyes and cried out his name, sobbed it like a battle cry. Phoenix nuzzled his lips against her neck, clung to her tightly and buried himself deep into the hot, wet folds. He emptied into her on that last thrust plunging frantically into her as he himself called out _her _name.

**A/N: I bet you didn't see that coming! Please review and tell me what you think!**


	6. The Surprise Ending

**A/N: This chapter is extra long...had to get the major mind blower(s) out of the way before I could get to the next chapter which will deal with the fall out from the news of the two pregnancies from both a female and male perspective. The next chapter will be full of humor, confessions and fun to make up for all the dreary writing I've been doing lately. The story is starting to lag and it's time to spice it up! Who loves Phoenix and Aurora? I know I do but can Phoenix really fall in love with her? Is he capable? Guess you'll Have to wait to find out! **

**Also, On my profile I have posted the link to the album of pics that I put together. These are my characters, the actors and actresses I tend to picture when I'm writing this little story. So go check them out so that maybe you can get a clearer picture of what I see and how my characters got their descriptions!**

**As always please read and review. I don't get nearly enough reviews for the amount of traffic this story sees so take a second to let me know what you like and what you don't like. I'm a big girl, if you hate it I can take it! Thanks to my faithful reviewers for keeping me going. You know who you are ;)  
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Chapter 6 – The Surprise Ending

Phoenix had watched her sleep tucked up against him until the sun began to slant in through the filmy curtains. It gleamed on her fiery red hair, turned her lovely skin a pale golden peach. Aurora wasn't restless as she had been since her first night in the Cullen house but had slept soundly in his arms. He'd had hours to reflect on what had happened and he'd spent most of those hours mentally kicking himself for what he had done to her. Phoenix frowned at the purple marks that marred her gorgeous skin, sucked in an annoyed gasp at the raw skin around her nipples and swore under his breath when the smell of dried blood flared into his nostrils. He'd taken something innocent and ripped it apart but then, after all it _was _his usual M.O. Take something lovely and untouched, someone so full of beauty, sheer vitality and drain them dry. Well he wasn't going to finish the job he'd started with Aurora. This time he would walk away before something truly terrible happened. He would regret it but he told himself it was the best thing he could do for her now. Carefully he slid his arm out from under her neck and cradled it with his hand before laying her back down on the pillow. As soon as he tried to pull his body away from hers she moaned and he instantly felt like a monster for the pain he'd inflicted.

"Mmmm...I never pegged you for the love em' and leave em' type" Aurora murmured with her eyes still closed. Phoenix lifted the blanket up over her and though it pained him kissed her softly on the forehead.

"Go back to sleep. I need to get in some early training" he replied softly, instantly regretting the lie. He would train but not because he needed to. Now it was more about finding someone to beat the hell out of him like he deserved. He idly wondered if Jasper would be up for a no holds barred fight then discarded that thought; Jasper would sense his emotions were out of control. Maybe his father would oblige. With that in mind he lifted himself up to sit and saw Aurora's eyes open suddenly. How did she do that? Was the girl never truly asleep? She eyed him with a humoured smirk.

"That's bullshit. You know it and I definitely know it" she replied in a haughty tone. Gone was the soft and vulnerable girl that had opened her eyes and so easily seduced him. Back was the infuriatingly perceptive woman who constantly made him crazy. "You're running away because you're too cowardly to face the simple fact that we had sex last night" Phoenix only sighed and shook his head.

"I damn well know what happened last night, Aurora. You pulled me in to bed with you but failed to mention that I would be the first to share one with you"

"Oh, don't flatter yourself too much. You wouldn't be the first person to _share a bed with me_. You were just in the right place at the wrong time"

"The right place at the wrong time" he echoed "What does that even mean?" he shouted. Phoenix was completely frustrated with the red haired witch lying beside him.

"It means I've been with people before but I've never let anyone get quite that close to me. I never wanted anyone to get that close" Something about what she said just didn't seem right and that's when the wayward thought popped into his mind.

"Wait, by people you mean men right?" Aurora grinned before she could stop it and threw a pillow over her head coyly.

"Oops" she mumbled laughingly into the pillow before lifting it back up and staring straight into Phoenix's bewildered eyes. "I'm kind of an equal opportunist when it comes to relationships if you know what I mean. I've been with men _and _women" Phoenix leaned back against the wooden headboard completely stunned and actually a little aroused. He grabbed the pillow she'd put over her head and tucked it neatly into his lap to hide his budding erection. This was not going as he'd planned.

"but you've never..."

"I never went that far before, no" Aurora rolled her eyes. The man was already ruining her buzz; couldn't he just let it be?

"I just thought...I thought you were..."

"A seductive little temptress" Aurora finished suggestively. She eyed him in much the same manner that she had a few hours before when she'd invited him into bed with her.

"Yes...NO! Fuck, Aurora would you stop putting words in my mouth and let me speak"

"Then stop sputtering like a fool and talk!" she cried exasperatedly and threw her hands up. There was only so much a woman could handle after the man she'd given herself to decided he wanted to take the whole thing back. "If you don't want to be here with me, if you think last night was a mistake than just tell me. Stop trying to take the coward's way out"

"It was a mistake. Would you look at yourself? You're covered in bruises; I rubbed your skin practically raw last night and...and I made you bleed" he practically whispered the last part as if he truly was a monster. His face was twisted in disgust and finally she understood why he was so upset. He thought he'd taken advantage of her and wasn't that a kick? Aurora fought desperately to keep the grin from spreading across her face and swallowed the laugh bubbling up in her throat.

"I expect that's what usually happens to one extent or another when a woman loses her virginity. The universe usually demands some sort of sacrifice" Phoenix groaned deeply and quickly averted his eyes. "I didn't think you were this bashful, Phoenix. From what Leah tells me you're quite the Lothario" She knew she was teasing but she just couldn't seem to help herself.

"I _hurt _you, Aurora. I treated you with less care than a man shows a trashy hooker" he sighed and crossed his long arms over his chest. "That's not the way it's supposed to be" A lock of his pale hair fell down into his eye but he made no move to brush it away. Instead he simply closed his eyes and swallowed the repulsiveness that kept hitting him wave after wave. He couldn't even look at her now knowing that he had put those marks on her. "Why me, why now?" Aurora shifted to lay her chin on her crooked elbow looking straight up into his piercing eyes.

"That's two questions" she smiled wryly and sighed when he merely sat stone faced. "It was just the right time. I opened my eyes and you were just there. You've been with me since the night in the woods, watching me, protecting me like my own personal guardian angel. Don't think I haven't noticed you skulking about, watching me sleep" The tease obviously did nothing to bring some humour into the situation so Aurora switched to a different tactic; truth "If it wasn't for you I would be dead right now. You make me feel safe, Phoenix, what's so wrong with that?"

"I hurt you"

"No you didn't but you're sure as hell hurting me now" Aurora's weighty broken sigh forced him to finally look at her and what he saw in her eyes nearly broke him. Her usually playful grin had been erased, her face fallen and her eyes swimming with tears he knew she would never shed.

"Don't you see how wrong this is? I'm a vampire, you're a human. Every time I lay my hands on you I'm going to hurt you"

"I think with practice..."

"Practice?...are you insane? No, absolutely not. This can never happen again, Aurora"

"Do you really think I'm that weak?" Aurora shot up in bed and poked a finger into his hard chest. Her eyes had changed just as suddenly as her mood and Phoenix wondered briefly if looks really _could _kill. Charged with hell smoke, she'd be damned if he was going to make this decision for her. "It's not like it hasn't happened before. Look at Edward and Bella"

"She ended up becoming a vampire! That's not exactly happily ever after"

"Bella made a choice and followed her heart. I hardly see that as a bad thing and besides, Phoenix, I'm not Bella. I'm a witch remember and I'm not without my wiles" She decided it was time to show him just what she could do. Phoenix watched her get up from the bed and stride naked across the room. Clearly she wasn't ashamed to be bare in front of him and he told himself he was only looking because she didn't seem to mind. She bent over to open the little door on the old armoire and took out a beaten backpack. Aurora strode back over to the side of the bed and dumped the contents out carelessly on top of the rumpled sheets. There were odd little bags tied with leather cord that smelled utterly foul, a mixture of differently coloured bottles, a few candles, some clear bags with contents that made him raise an eyebrow and a glittering dagger all tumbling out. Her hair fell over one freckled shoulder as she rifled through the contents shoving things back into the pack until she finally found what she'd been looking for. It was a green bottle filled with some kind of thick liquid inside.

"You have a rather extensive shampoo collection" Phoenix cracked and Aurora decided to overlook the slight. He would fairly quickly be swallowing his words anyway. She cocked her head to the side, opened the bottle and shot him a smirk before downing the entire contents of the bottle as one might take a shot of whiskey. She closed her eyes and lowered the bottle concentrating on her breathing and the sensation coursing through her body. When she opened them again Phoenix saw that they were brighter and gleaming like polished jewels in the sunlight. Her skin once covered in black marks and red scrapes took on a lustrous sheen and the marks faded right before his astonished eyes. It was as if he'd never touched her as if no harm had _ever_ been done to her. Even her tattoos seemed to look brand new; as if they'd just been done. She shook her hair out with a smile and it fell in sexy waves all over her peachy, freckled skin. "How did you do _that_?" Phoenix's mouth hung open slightly not only due to the shock but the realization that she really _was _more than just a mere mortal being. He couldn't help but think that Aurora had, had it all backwards; she was the angel.

"It's a healing tonic with a little added glamour. My mother was the head apothecary in the coven and she passed everything she knew down to me" Aurora sat down at the foot of the bed and laid her head against the tall, ornately carved post. "When she died and I ascended, I took over as head apothecary"

"Any love potions in that little bag of tricks?" Phoenix questioned with a half smirk.

"That's idiotic. Love potions, really?" Aurora returned genuinely annoyed by the implication that she dosed him into making love to her. "I don't do that kind of magic. I'll leave that in the hands of the dime store fakes thank you very much" she tossed her hair over her shoulder and shot him a look that was as sexy as it was arrogant. He knew what he had to do now and though he wouldn't relish causing her grief he knew it was the most sensible thing for both of them. Her voice broke through his dark thoughts somehow managing to sound sweet and husky all at once. "I wouldn't need it anyway. Look how easy it was for me to get youinto my bed" She wrinkled her nose sweetly and shifted so that she could sit closer to him. Experimentally she leaned in near enough for their lips to meet but Phoenix shifted his face away so that only their foreheads were touching. His rejection stung and for the first time since she'd decided to let him into her bed, Aurora began to regret the decision to let him have her so completely.

"I can't do this, Aurora. I'm sorry if it causes you pain but, it's better to leave you now than hurt you worse later" She shifted quickly away from him in anguish as he swept his legs over the bed and got up. Wordlessly he threw on his shorts and grabbed his wrinkled tank top off the floor striding quickly over to the door before he could change his mind.

"You're a coward Phoenix Cullen" Aurora shouted at his retreating back. With a seething regret Phoenix opened the door and without even so much as a backward glance closed it behind him with a quiet thud that echoed in his ears like a thunderclap. Part of him wanted to open the door and slide back into the warmth of Aurora's embrace but the more primal side of him, the angry young man within wanted a fight and he would damn well find one. He leaned his back up against the door letting his hair fall over his face and just stayed there for a moment reliving the little moments he'd shared with her one more time before he put them away forever. He turned to walk away and laid a hand on the warm wood unaware that Aurora stood on the other side with her own fingers splayed across it. She felt the electricity spark even through the wood, the undeniable connection that had nothing to do with chemistry and when it faded, when she knew he was gone curled her fingers and let her fist drop. Aurora strode back to the bed, took one look at the dishevelled sheets, the dark red stain marring the crisp white linen and allowed herself to shed one solitary tear for the innocence she'd given in vain.

Phoenix took his mark and whirled around to hit the dummy Jasper had set up on the training field. The force behind the punch, the sheer anger he channelled into it cracked the head clean off the stone figure. He growled under his breath and began a series of sprints through the training course, dodging the huge highway dividers, climbing the thirty foot wall and leaping to the ground. He landed as soundly as a cat and made a mad dash for the end throwing out an arm to strike the knock down straw character that had been humorously dressed up to look like Dracula by Emmett. It popped back up and Phoenix could swear he heard it laughing at him, maybe it was all in his head but he deserved a whole lot more than to be laughed at. This wasn't exactly how he'd planned to blow off the fury boiling inside him like a poison. He'd gone to his parent's room but stopped short of knocking on the door as he heard that Emmett was clearly otherwise engaged; Did everyone in this house think of nothing but sex, all the damn time? Carlisle was over at the cottage with Tristan and even if he hadn't been Phoenix wouldn't have gone to him for a fight. It simply wasn't in Carlisle's fashion but he was always great at lending a sympathetic and non-judgemental ear. Maybe, after the fury subsided it would do some good to get it off his chest, bounce the whole situation off of the family patriarch. He'd stayed clear of Edward; it wouldn't do for his uncle to read his thoughts. He would most certainly only make Phoenix feel worse having been through the same situation and losing his battle to keep Bella human.

"Damn house full of mind readers, empaths and horny idiots" Phoenix shouted to himself clenching his fists and watched the dishevelled Dracula bobble on its stand. He figured it too was probably mocking him for his utter stupidity. He could practically hear the idiotic thing teasing that he'd ruined yet another beauty. He was the beast but this was no fairytale and the seething ire simply wouldn't be released until the angry villagers came with their pitchforks and destroyed him. Phoenix narrowed his eyes and spun around expertly to throw a round house kick straight to the Dracula's center. It flew clear across the field and into the bank of tall trees as he stood on the field, still in battle stance.

"Holy shit!" Phoenix heard the strangled yelp coming from the spot where the dummy had flown. He felt the evil grin spreading across his face and fought to keep his face steady as he recognized the voice. Seth came out of the trees rubbing his head and letting out a stream of curses that would make a seasoned old sailor blush.

"You kiss your mama with that mouth?" Phoenix called out and Seth's furious face whirled to see whose funny idea it was to smack a wolf in the face with Dracula this early in the morning.

"Jesus, Phoenix as if it's not bad enough to get kicked out of bed at 6am because the invading horde needed some "girl" time" Seth began, lifting his fingers up and adding the air quotes animatedly. "I'm just coming through the woods minding my own goddamned business when Dracula flies out and smacks me in the fucking head" He strode over to where Phoenix stood next to the broken wooden stand. "What did the poor bastard ever do to you anyway?" If he knew Phoenix Cullen like he thought he did something was up, something so terrible that he hadn't been able to go to any of the others with it.

"He had it coming" Phoenix muttered and gave the stand a little kick for emphasis.

"You looking for a fight, bro?" Seth queried cocking his head to the side to study the hateful glimmer in his friend's pale eyes.

"You willing to oblige?"

"Only if you tell me why you're so damn mad. What did you do, Phoenix, lose your favourite hair gel?"

"Fight now, hash out our feelings later Nancy boy" Phoenix snarled and lunged forward taking Seth off of his feet to the already ripped apart grass. They went down hard and as soon as he got the advantage to lean in for the hold Seth caught a whiff of something that turned his jovial accord towards the fight to a madness that would only be sated after Phoenix was a deader-than-normal vampire. He rolled them both over and landed a punch square on the vampire hybrid's stony face and growled when all Phoenix did was bare his teeth in a smile. "That all you got Sethy?" he hissed and was taken by complete surprise when Seth jumped up and stalked to the middle of the battlefield.

"You want to really do this, Cullen?" Seth howled not quite liking the murderous feelings spiking up inside of him. He wished it had never happened, that he'd never come here today but it was already too late. Phoenix was on the warpath and now so was he.

"Yeah, I think I do rover. No rules. Just me and you" Phoenix curled his fingers, stalking around Seth, looking for the best opening to strike. He knew that if he waited too long that the dog would phase and then there was a possibility, and his hubris had him believing it was only slim, that he might lose. When Seth only nodded and bared his teeth Phoenix took off to strike and found himself aimlessly flying through the air. Seth had dodged him seamlessly even in his human form and was already gearing up to let the wolf out of the cage. It wasn't as easy for him as it was for Jacob or even Embry for that matter. He had always been a little slow to the change and usually had to channel a good deal of rage in order for it to occur. Thankfully, rage wasn't in short supply today what with the smell that covered Phoenix's entire body. The two of them circled one another like primordial dancers, crouched and waiting for the choreography to begin but this was no drill and somebody was truly going to get hurt in this ballroom. Seth felt the familiar pull building in his chest, the fire that coursed outward and the breathtaking pain that accompanied the shift from man to beast. When he looked up again it was through the eyes of the wolf and when he lunged it was the wolf's teeth that snapped over rock hard flesh. Phoenix laughed maniacally and shook the wolf off of his arm sending Seth flying. The beast hit the ground hard and slid a few feet with a yelp before sweeping itself back onto his paws. This time when Seth bared his teeth, a small chunk of vampire flesh fell to the ground. Black blood dripped from his grinning fangs. Phoenix eyed his arm with mild disdain and remembered why he'd wanted to fight in the first place. He remembered all too vividly the warmth of Aurora's embrace, the way her eyes had gleamed when he'd been inside her, her moan played in his head and all he wanted now was for someone to make him forget it all.

"Is that it?" he screamed. "Come on Seth, show me what you've really got" and he deliberately jumped directly into the wolf's path. Seth took the opportunity and lunged, taking the half breed down easily, almost too easily. Something was up and it was suddenly clear that Phoenix wanted to be hurt and he wanted Seth to be the one to do it. With a whine Seth released his hold and stalked a few paces back sitting back onto his haunches. If Phoenix wanted to beat himself up that was fine but he sure as hell didn't have to cater to his friend's desperate need for punishment no matter what his more primal instincts were telling him. "Come on you coward! Fight me, Damnit!" Phoenix's screams echoed across the open yard. He was incensed to realize that Seth had given up; that he wasn't going to give him what he wanted. "I want you to attack me, Clearwater. Do you hear me? Just get it over with" he hauled a young tree out by the roots and hurled it into the woods. When Seth simply trotted into the nearby brush Phoenix considered picking up the fallen log at his feet and hurling that too. Cursing violently he sat on it instead and laid his head in his hands. What the hell was he going to do about this? If nobody would do the job for him maybe he could just burn himself alive or something. The agonizing hatred he felt for himself would probably never diminish no matter how fine the girl was after drinking her magic bippity boppity potion.

"Okay Cullen, talk. I come out here to ask for your advice on something that's been eating me for days and instead I get smacked in the head by Dracula, wailed on and you smell like you recently bathed in eau de human. What the fuck is that about?" Seth came bursting out of the trees, throwing on a grey tank and glaring menacingly at him. Phoenix had to wonder if maybe he wasn't going to get his wish after all.

"Never mind Seth, how can I be of service?" he responded and tried to plaster a smile on his face.

"Funny you should say that, Cullen. I think you've already been of service to someone" Seth's voice was laced with barely sustained fury, full of sarcasm with more than a small dose of annoyance. Phoenix didn't think that anything could make him feel worse today until Seth finished his statement. The words hung in the air that had gone thick with tension and it took a moment for them to fully register in Phoenix's mind.

"My Imprint"

"Wh...When did this happen?" Phoenix sputtered after a few moments of deafening silence. There was a roaring in his ears that, despite his self loathing, had nothing to do with his anger towards himself and everything to do with the sudden urge to run back to Aurora. His more rational side knew that it was crazy to feel so territorial but his primitive instincts were screaming at him to take a stand and let Seth know that she was his.

"The moment I laid eyes on her I felt the pull. How do you think catwoman got the jump on me so quick? I was a little distracted" Seth explained whilst running a hand through his shaggy hair. "Is she, I mean do you think Aurora is meant to be your mate?" The question was an honest one but Phoenix couldn't quite find the words to express just what she had come to mean to him. It had been easy to walk away this morning knowing that she just might wait for him, maybe circumstances could change and they could be together but now it felt like there was a ticking clock over his head and the clock's name was Seth.

"That's kind of why I wanted you to beat me brainless" Phoenix winced and prepared for the inevitable onslaught. He knew as soon as the words were out of his mouth, the moment Seth discovered just why he smelled like her there was going to be a real battle royal. "I slept with her last night" The punch came quick and knocked him back a few steps. Before he had a chance to put his arms up in defence Seth had already grabbed him by the shirt. Phoenix allowed himself to get pinned by the overgrown whelp he'd come to see as a friend and saw it as his rightful punishment that he should get his licks in. Seth flared his nostrils angrily and glowered up at him. He shook his head in a kind of sad gesture and as quickly as he'd raised him up against the tree Phoenix found himself flat on his ass. Seth paced a few steps away and then paced back with a pointed finger. He seemed to want to say something and started but all that came out was a grumble. When he finally opened his mouth to speak he was hovering over Phoenix with his nose in the air.

"I smell blood, Cullen. Did you hurt her? Because if you hurt her I _am _going to kill you after all"

"You smell blood because it was her first time. I didn't know Aurora was a virgin, she didn't tell me!" Phoenix yelled and blocked Seth's arm only centimetres before the strike. "I'm just as pissed with myself as you are. It was a stupid mistake and it's not going to happen again"

"Did you bite her? Is she going to be okay Cullen?" Seth's words came out in a heated flash, his questions jumbled and the fear evident in his eyes.

"She's fine. She used one of her magic potions and made it all better" Phoenix snapped his fingers "The marks disappeared right before my eyes but I think I really did hurt her feelings when I walked out" He plunked himself down on the log once more and this time Seth joined him. They sat there in relative quiet with nothing but the sounds of the birds chattering off in the distance and the distant sound of the ocean. "So what do we do about this?" he finally broke the silence and spared a glance in Seth's direction. Seth kicked up a rock with his battered old sneakers and sent it flying.

"I didn't want to imprint. I still don't know what to do about it, that's what I came here for; your advice" he murmured quietly and watched the sun begin to rise over the top of the house. Its rays slid down across them illuminating Phoenix's usually pallid complexion.

"Who knew we'd want advice about the same woman?" Phoenix smirked and saw Seth finally crack a half hearted smile.

"The truth is I don't want an imprint. I look at what it did to Sam and my sister, what happened to Emily, how Jake ended up running away only to come back getting himself in a bigger mess and don't even get me started on Embry. I've been keeping my distance from Aurora because I'm terrified that if I so much as touch her I'll end up as loony as they all are. Hell, I'm afraid I'll end up as crazy as you" Seth exclaimed. It all sounded so logical but what happened if he changed his mind, if he decided that he did want her after all. Phoenix had to wonder where that would leave him.

"You deserve to take your shot with her, man, see if you're really sure about not wanting the whole imprint thing"

"I don't want a shot. Truth is after all this Brethren madness is over if I'm still standing I'm going away for a while and that means I can't have any strings tying me here. Look, the imprinting thing means different things to different people. I don't want to fall in love with her, I just want her to be happy and if you can do that for her than by all means have her" The two of them had both been so wrapped up in their little drama that they hadn't heard or even noticed the willowy figure stepping lithely across the lawn. Nor did they know that the tonic she'd taken earlier had heightened her senses, sound being one of them. Aurora had heard just about every word and was completely disgusted with the both of them, with all the men in this twisted, giant extended family. It was just sickening and more than a little humiliating to be bartered away like some kind of animal. So the both of them thought they had some kind of instinctual hold on her, well she had news for them. Deliberately, she let a twig snap under her bare foot and when they both looked up she had the pleasure of seeing Seth turn a scarlet red while Phoenix's face stayed in the same stony expression that never quite seemed to change. The once calm air began to stir as she stood with her feet planted on the ground. She could feel everything under her feet; the movement of the tides, the way the earth settled below her and the air that was already fluttering through her wild hair. The ground began to quake softly under their feet and both boys watched as she turned the sun out as if she'd flipped a light switch. Phoenix had obviously been wrong when he had thought she was soft. This girl was no wilting violet. Her eyes were so bright it was almost impossible to look straight into them, her skin glowed despite the darkness that was coming upon them and the light of the sun was all but wiped out. When she spoke her voice sounded odd, ancient and too deep to really come from her.

"Look at the two of you, both of you cowards. I'm no man's prize" she screeched and just as suddenly as the storm had begun it fizzled around them. Aurora was back and she just stood there looking straight into Phoenix's eyes with such sadness he was afraid what was left of his heart might break. One solitary tear slipped down over her cheek and dripped to the ground shimmering like a crystal. Before either Seth or Phoenix could stop her or explain she took off running through the trees taking the path that would inevitably lead her to La Push and most likely Leah's as that's where all the women seemed to be gathering to share the man hate since yesterday.

"Yeah, seriously man, good luck with that one" Seth said frowning and slapped him on the back in a hearty fashion. Phoenix stared into the little bank of trees where she'd disappeared.

"You've got it right Clearwater, nothing but trouble" he murmured quietly but inside, in his deepest depths Phoenix was fighting the urge to run after her, to beg her forgiveness and suddenly he knew that the battle was lost. How could any man stop himself from falling for her, freaky powers and all? Seth had no idea what he was missing but his loss was Phoenix's gain, that is, if she ever let him back in.

"Come on, let's go get the others and find something manly to do" Seth yelled out from the other side of the yard. Phoenix spared one last glance into the woods before streaking across the yard and making it to the back door long before Seth. He turned and shot a cocky grin over his shoulder.

"Need a walker old man?"

"Yeah, yeah I may be an old man but technically Cullen your just a baby" They continued their little back and forth banter, neither of them noticing the cloaked figure hiding in the bank of trees surrounding the house. Its gleaming crimson eyes watched as Seth and Phoenix walked into the Cullen house and then when it was sure they were inside slowly started walking down the path Aurora had taken with a triumphantly wicked smirk.

**P.S. Readers: I love cliffhangers...wonder what's going to happen next. Tell me what you think should/will happen**


	7. The Plight of Women

**A/N: Go check out the epilogue I added to Fire and Ice if you haven't already. It explains the marks that were put on Edward's face during the first battle.**

**Sorry it took so long for this chapter to be up. I only do this in my spare time which isn't much with 3 little ones and a business to run. That being said I thought it was time for a bit of a lighter chapter. This one is for the girls and it was insanely fun to write! Next chapter will be the boy's perspective and the final resolution to the pregnancy drama. After that we have some Samara/Embry interaction and then it's back to the Aurora/Phoenix/Seth triangle. Just a heads up on what you can expect within the coming weeks. The real action, the core conflict of the story will come to a head soon after and let me tell you there will be tragedy, a death or two and some very crazy twists and reveals that **_**will**_** make you go HUH!!!**

**P.S. I want reviews. At least 10 before the next chapter is up. I mean it! It takes like a minute of your time to tell me what you like and or dislike about my writing and the story. A writer is only as good as the feedback he or she receives. **

Chapter 7 – The Plight of Women

Aurora trudged through the forest and suddenly had to wonder why she'd decided to walk to Leah's in the first place. There were dozens of cars back at the Cullen garage. It must be, well, a long damn walk but she was already charged up with anger, disappointment and more than a little regret. What the hell had she been thinking, just throwing it all away on some half breed vampire who could care less what happened to her now? It had been stupid, a stupid, brainless mistake. The kind Aurora almost never made; almost. She was so used to analyzing things to death until there was no wonder left in them but last night she had felt as if anything had been possible and everything was hers to freely give. There had been wonder in those small hours they'd shared, surrender and something more simmering just beneath the surface. She paused for a moment to fix one of her not-so-sensible shoes that she'd tossed on after leaving Seth and Phoenix to continue their honourable conversation about who should get to possess her.

"Ha!" she exclaimed to nobody but herself and maybe the birds. Wait, where was the steady call of the birds? Where were the rest of the tiny woodland animals that normally dwelled in this part of the wood? There was no sound now but her laboured breathing and the acute feeling that someone was watching her. The hairs on the back of neck began to stick up and goose pimples formed over her arms. Something or someone had obviously driven the animals away and Aurora couldn't help but wonder if Phoenix hadn't come after her. Well she wouldn't make it easy for him to apologize if that's what he was after. She kept her back turned and straightened up waiting for the panic to cease within her. She had nothing to fear from Phoenix, well almost nothing anyway. "If you came here to let me know how badly you feel about what we did last night than you can just go back where you came from" She called out indignantly. When there was no reply, no deep, arrogant voice or really any sound at all Aurora whirled and the fear that encompassed her now was genuine. Something was watching and now she was convinced that it wasn't altogether friendly.

Slowly she began to walk back through the forest suddenly thankful that she hadn't really gotten that far anyway but the fear would not abate. Against her better judgement Aurora broke into a run darting through a bank of trees like a frightened deer and without care for where she was going tripped over a stray root. She sprawled out over the ground and heard a pair of quiet footsteps heading in her direction. Afraid of what she might see Aurora peeked up to see just who had been following her. Her mouth gaped open and she could only manage two short words in her surprise.

"It's you?"

* * *

Kalika rolled over in the bed she had shared with Renesmee but unlike her cousin had been unable to sleep. She'd spent the whole night just trying to decipher the riddle that was Talan and trying to figure out a solution to the latest twist in her life. The major questions kept plaguing her, the things she'd never gotten to say still lingered in her mind. Talan's reaction to Alice's revelation hadn't exactly been supportive. Was he right? Or should they have this baby despite the risks and the poor timing? But most terrifying was what might happen if she decided to have this baby and he wanted nothing to do with either of them. Could she move on and raise this little person, whoever he or she would be, by herself. Kalika sighed deeply and shifted the hand that had lain on her belly since she'd gotten the news. It still seemed so unreal to her that there could be a little person in there and she decided that she was waiting for a tickle, some tiny movement to confirm Alice's premonition. She lifted her other arm up to rest under her head sighing deeply in the relative quiet.

"I can practically _hear _you thinking and that's without touching you" Renesmee murmured sleepily. She rolled over and cradled her head in the crook of her elbow. "Men are idiots" she tried for humour but when Kalika's mouth didn't budge from the firm line it was set in, Renesmee sighed herself. They were both in a situation that neither of them had ever expected and now they had to deal with whatever came along. They'd made the choices, done the deed so to speak and now they had to live with the consequences.

"Easy for you to say, you're married to Jacob. For better or for worse and all that" Kalika muttered casting her bright green eyes over in Renesmee's direction. "What am I going to do, Nessie?" her voice broke and the fear that had threatened to strangle her all night finally swept over her.

"What do you want to do? Never mind what Talan says, do you _want _to have this baby?"

"I don't know. I mean really Ness, me as a mother, isn't it the most insane thing you've ever heard? I'm hardly mommy material"

Renesmee looked seriously up into Kalika's terrified eyes. The girl always did underestimate herself and what she was capable of so she decided it was time to appeal to her pride.

"You can be whatever you want, Kali. What happened to my fearless cousin; not afraid of a real challenge are you?"

"Of course not" Kalika replied haughtily while Renesmee tried desperately to suppress the smirk of triumph. "I just never saw me _or_ Talan as the family type and now either way my choices won't be simple" Quiet settled over the room as both of them started to think of the realities facing them. Renesmee wondered who these little people would be. Would Jacob's baby be a shape shifter like him or maybe have some talent like she did. How would he or she look? Renesmee placed her hand over her stomach and danced her fingertips over the cool flesh that now supposedly housed a little person.

She suddenly had an idea and decided to try it out before Kalika could protest. Her free hand rested over Kalika's stomach mirroring the hand on her own. The flash was instant and insanely powerful. Renesmee gasped and used her new power to encompass Kalika in her little sight bubble so that she too could see the wonder in her vision. She saw the two steadily beating hearts as the two tiny, already human looking babies slept within them, their tiny faces not quite yet fully developed and suddenly her heart was full and her mind made up. She broke the contact quickly and saw the same amazement in Kalika's eyes that she herself now felt. Two little lives, so helpless and small but so full of promise; not burdens but gifts.

"Wow" Kalika blew out a breath and clutched her belly just a little tighter "I guess we won't be needing that ultrasound after all. Carlisle will be so disappointed" Renesmee laughed and couldn't help but feel a sudden swarm of joy.

"Do you think you two could keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep" Leah's husky voice cut through Renesmee's peal of laughter sounding very annoyed from her spot on the floor.

"I'm with Leah on this one. What is it, like 6 a.m.?" Piper added her voice sounding muffled from the pillow she'd thrown over her head.

"6:09" Renesmee replied laughingly "To be exact" Her words were met with groans from the others lying across the floor all except for Samara's giggle.

"Silly humans and their need for sleep" she sat up on the window bench she'd curled up on earlier. "Hey Leah, where would your brother be running off to so early in the morning?"

"Probably off to see the wizard. No offense intended Piper" Leah knew that Seth had imprinted on Aurora just as she knew that Phoenix was already half in love with her too. Things, as they always seemed to do around here, were going to get messy.

"None taken" Piper replied taking the pillow and throwing it across the room. It smacked straight into Leah's stunned face just as she'd sat up. She wrinkled her face in mock disgust and growled playfully. Piper bolted upright at the horrific sound tearing from Leah's throat thinking something must be wrong and got a face full of pillow "What the...how the hell did you do that?" her mouth was hanging open.

"What you can't?" Leah chuckled sarcastically.

"Not in human form, no" she looked so surprised it was impossible for Leah to suppress the cocky grin.

"So how does that work anyway? Can you be anything?" Kalika asked genuinely interested in hearing the answer. She had grown up with all sorts of fantastical things in her life; vampires, shape shifters and such but never in her short years had she thought that she would come across a shape shifting witch. She had always thought that witchcraft was hokey but it was hard to argue now that she'd seen some of the things the Kavanaughs were capable of.

"I can shift into the form of any living creature including that of a wolf" Piper replied with a smirk of her own for Leah.

"How about Wentworth Miller? Can you be him because I could seriously get past the whole girl underneath thing if you could do that" The room erupted in laughter but Piper remained serious, considering.

"I've never tried to shift into another human form" she said biting down hard on her lip. Not only was it against the creed but it was also too scary to think about. What would it be like to be someone else? Leah saw the flicker of fear and doubt in Piper's clear blue eyes and suddenly knew she'd crossed a line. It had been meant in fun but obviously it had struck a foul cord.

"So where is your sister anyway? I thought she was supposed to be here last night" Leah coughed softly as she changed the subject seamlessly.

"Oh, she didn't want to be too far away from Tristan, just in case he needed her" Piper replied quietly. Yep, she'd definitely struck a bad cord.

"More like Phoenix probably convinced her to stay back at the house. I swear that boy never lets her out of his sight lately" Kalika answered humorously. She and Samara shared a knowing smile.

"She said she'd be by this morning with the rest of them" Samara added referring to Bella and Rosalie who had planned on joining them in the morning as well.

"Oh well than we only have a few minutes to get down to it before the adults arrive. So Renesmee tell me what's it like to screw the Alpha wolf? Is he as well endowed as the rest of them?" Leah wondered aloud. It was true that she'd had a crush on Jacob years ago but that had passed quickly; thank god. Samara looked over at her oddly, moments before the smile of realization hit her while Renesmee simply gaped over at Leah obviously caught off guard by the saucy line of questioning.

"You didn't?" Samara asked wondrously and watched Leah's face turn feline. "You did, didn't you? You and Embry?"

"A few times back in the day; long before you ever caught his eye"

"Holy...fuck, what was it like?" Samara couldn't help but ask. It was sort of interesting since she and Embry had yet to get to that particular part of their relationship.

"With Embry it's always different. Depends on his mood I guess but he's a stallion for sure" Leah figured it was probably best to keep the details at a minimum

"He keeps playing hands off with me. We get close and he's the one that pulls away. It's so damn frustrating!" Samara exclaimed pulling her legs up against her chest. Her fingernails were painted a deep purple that looked almost unreal against her whitened flesh.

"I definitely have the fix for that Sammy, darling" Leah said jumping up and suddenly pacing over to open her closet door. She rifled through the clothes not really organized in any particular order. She was a woman who liked to thrive in chaos. "I know it's in here somewhere"

"Excuse me. I'm still reeling over here from your last question Leah, doll" Renesmee interrupted waving her arms emphatically. Kalika sat back against the pillows chuckling quietly to herself while Piper stared in open-mouthed shock.

"So answer it. C'mon if this is going to be a real slumber party we really have to talk about sex" Leah grinned wickedly while she scoured the hangers. "Ah Ha!" she cried and flung a hanger with something black, green and lacy draping from it. "Alice isn't the only one with a closet full of treasures"

"Well...He's...Ummm" Renesmee shifted to a sitting position and nearly cringed under Leah's wide smirk.

"Oh, spill it Renesmee! Some of us are in rapt attention here" Samara cried giggling uncontrollably while Leah handed her the garment for approval.

"Oh who am I kidding? He's fucking awesome! Not that I have anything to compare it to but he's a god, Leah and as for the second part, yes, he's nicely proportioned"

"Christ Renesmee, Can't you just say he has a big cock?" Kalika groaned at Renesmee's proper way of putting things.

"Augh! My virgin ears" Samara cried and held her hands up to them playfully falling over to the floor and taking Leah down with her.

"Ouch! Get your vampire butt off my legs" Leah couldn't help but laugh as she shoved uselessly at Samara but the girl wouldn't budge. "and they won't be virgin ears after Embry gets an eyeful of you wearing _that_" The whole world was crumbling bit by bit all around them and every day brought some new terror but for now, just for this morning they could at least pretend to be normal girls.

"I'll move just as soon as you spill all on _my _lover. You weren't exactly forthcoming on the details and I want them" Samara purred after teasingly growling out the word lover.

"Let's just say that when you two finally do get down to it you might just see god. That man can take you to heaven and back. It's not about the size, even though Em certainly isn't lacking in that department but a man's gotta know how to use what he's got and that man knows what a woman wants" Leah sighed just thinking about it. She'd been going through a dry spell recently and now that Embry had fallen head over heels for Samara she couldn't count on him to be her beneficial friend anymore. "I'm happy for you two, really. I'm glad he finally found a woman worthy of him"

"Awww I think I'm going to cry" Kalika mocked and tossed herself back onto the pillows.

"Hormones already acting up, Kali?" Piper returned finally breaking her silence. Leah looked around the room at all the shocked faced just waiting for the inevitable explosion. Temper was one of Kalika's most advertised character flaws.

"and she comes out swinging!" was all Kalika said as she bolted upright in the bed again "About time you came out of that shell of yours"

"Well I didn't really have that much to say. I only had one boyfriend and he wasn't exactly thrilling in that particular area of our relationship" Piper yawned suggestively to show just how bad it had been. A loud gurgling noise interrupted the peal of female laughter but only made Renesmee laugh harder.

"Hungry, Kalika?" she asked and then felt the same grumble start up in her own stomach. Kalika poked Renesmee's belly.

"Sounds like you could go for some nice tasty red stuff yourself"

"If we keep eating like this, were going to decimate the entire population of animals in Forks. Didn't we just eat a few hours ago?"

"Yeah, but the babies are hungry and what the babies want, the babies get" Kalika said finally knowing with utter certainty that her choice was made. There was no going back now, no matter what. "Besides there's always some nice tasty wolf flesh if we get really desperate" She licked her lips in Leah's direction and Renesmee joined in on the little rouse with a conspiratorial grin.

"Yeah, you know what that sounds awfully good to me" she added and with that the both of them flew out of the bed tackling Leah to the floor. It was a giggling mass of women tangled up on the floor with Kalika and Renesmee taking mock "bites" out of Leah while Samara and Piper pretended to restrain them. Trying to catch her breath now that the fake onslaught had passed Leah stood up.

"C'mon ladies lets go hunt us some breakfast" she said and watched Pipers eyes get as big as saucers. "Don't worry Piper, well show you how it's done but you might want to slip into something a little more beasty first" she walked to the closet and pulled out the little backpack that already held an extra change of clothes. Though she didn't like it very much she'd been put on newborn watch today. She would have to spend the whole afternoon watching over a pyromaniac vampire. Thinking better of it she tossed one more change of clothes into the bag; just in case. "Could someone get the doors" Leah finished shaking her hair back and when she whirled around she was already halfway to wolf form with fur popping out all over.

Piper gaped at the majestic form of the whitish-grey wolf that had replaced Leah and realized she was being challenged. Never one to back down from a dare Piper thought for only a moment before making her decision. She closed her eyes as the power glided though her veins like liquid silk. When she opened them again she saw everything through the eyes of a wolf. She'd never tried to be one before, never had the cause but now it only seemed appropriate. The two wolves faced one another a moment before Leah turned and trotted out the open bedroom door.

"Well this should be interesting" Samara muttered and followed the rest of them out.

* * *

"How did you know where to find me?" Aurora asked from her spot in the passenger seat of the Jeep Bella was expertly manoeuvring around the hills and turns on the road to La Push. Esme leaned back against the seat in the back with Rosalie sitting next to her watching out the window with a weird look on her face.

"Well you sort of made it obvious what with the sudden storm and all the yelling at my boy" Rosalie answered. Esme opened her mouth and then closed it again.

"Ignore Rosalie, she's just having an Emmett moment right now" Bella replied wryly and stamped a little harder on the gas. It was going to be a long ride to the Clearwater place but maybe if she sped up enough they could at least avoid a bloodbath in the new car.

"I have a right to say something don't I?" Rosalie huffed. Bella and Esme exchanged a look between them in the rear view mirror.

"No" Bella answered.

"Not really" Esme added. Aurora couldn't quite figure out how she'd managed to piss off the Cullen queen bee so badly. Was it really such a horrible notion for her son to be with her?

"You don't have to worry, Rosalie, he doesn't want anything else to do with me" Aurora bit her lip and resisted the urge to turn around and look her directly in the eyes "He made it more than clear when he left me this morning" Honesty, even in this situation was the best policy.

"That's what pisses me off. Emmett and I didn't raise that boy to treat a woman like that, to treat _anyone _like that" She said brushing her blond hair back from a face so lovely, angels would weep.

"He's confused, Rose and scared. Men can be such cowards when it comes to love" Esme quietly added with a smile.

"Trust me I remember" Bella said finally loosening her grip on the wheel. They had just crossed over the line into La Push and she couldn't help but remember the lengths Edward had gone to in his misplaced idea of protection "You gave him something pure and innocent and Phoenix destroyed it for you not by being what he is but by his actions afterwards, by not recognizing that it had been your choice. Edward was the same way"

"but he eventually came around, right?" Aurora asked. The situation was bleak and she had to be thankful that she could bend the ear of someone who had been there and gotten what she'd wanted.

"Not really by choice but yeah, he did" Bella replied and felt rather than knew that they had crossed the border into Quileute territory.

"You're human and to Phoenix that seems an insurmountable obstacle" Esme's soft voice was soothing but underneath there was a worry that she couldn't quite disguise.

"It doesn't have to be" Rosalie turned to Esme and then glanced at Bella through the mirror. Bella's frown was embedded deep in her pale complexion, her eyes dark and golden.

"You mean I should become like you" Aurora stated while nervously fingering a lock of her frizzy hair. That would mean becoming a part of the family, joining her brother and leaving Piper, the other piece of her, alone.

"There really won't be a choice when Aro finds out about all of this. He'll demand that you either become one of us or be destroyed" Rosalie boldly spoke up ignoring Esme's quiet shushing.

"She's right, Esme. They won't allow you to live considering what you know and what's more when Aro sees what happens to your kind when turned he will inevitably be intrigued by the possibilities" Bella said bitterly and took the turn into Leah's driveway a little too quickly in her haste and the sound of gravel spitting up rung in Aurora's ears.

"Carlisle explained the Volturi to me but he made them sound more like a government sort of situation rather than a dictatorship" she wondered aloud and suddenly felt very uneasy. There had been something in the woods other than Esme. She had to wonder if maybe the Volturi hadn't already discovered their presence with the Cullens.

"They aren't to be trifled with" Bella came to a stop in front of a two story house painted a deep red color. Dormer windows jutted out from the cabin style design and there was a lovely enclosed porch wrapping around to the side of the house. Neat little planters had been placed at the end of the path to the screened door their flowers rioting in multi-coloured blooms.

"Will Phoenix do it? If it's to happen than I want it to be him, his venom" Aurora ignored the swirling nerves in her belly at the mere thought of what she knew now had to happen.

"He has the venom. Most half breeds don't turn completely vampiric, they tend to retain most of their more human characteristics but Phoenix got very ill around the time he was 6 years old and within months made an almost complete transformation into a full blown vampire" Rosalie thought for a moment collecting her thoughts before speaking "He won't do it willingly, Aurora. If he loves you and I believe that he does than he won't want to be the source of your death. You might have to give him a push if you know what I mean"

"I don't, not really"

"You will, when the time is right" Rosalie countered ominously and bolted out of the car before Aurora had a chance to ask her what she meant. What would she have to know to get him to do it?

"She really likes you" Bella's voice broke through Aurora's confusion "She wouldn't act like that if she didn't. Rose just gave you her blessing" She smiled over at the bewildered girl in the passenger seat and couldn't help but see and earlier version of herself reflected back. Bella thought that she would feel like screaming at the girl to run away while she still had the chance but instead she felt with absolute certainty that if she were in Aurora's shoes, if she had it all to do over again the end result would be the same. Seeing the flash of her daughter's chestnut hair flying back in the breeze Bella got out of the car to leave Aurora to her thoughts.

"Hey, save some for the rest of us will you!"


	8. Say When

**A/N: Today is the celebration of my third and final child's 1****st**** birthday. Looking back on the circumstances of his birth I can't help but see this chapter in an educational light. When I was told that I was pregnant for the third time it was a shock, but not a good one because at the time my health was not good and I was given a hard decision. I could continue the pregnancy and both mine and my unborn baby's health would be put in jeopardy or I could end it. As I watch my beautiful son sleep right now I know I made the right decision but in writing this chapter I realized how difficult it was to get inside the head of a father facing this situation. I now see how hard it was for my husband not only to step back and let me make the choice but also to watch me go through the hardships I would have to face to bring our beautiful boy into the world. In short, this was a difficult chapter to write and I dedicate it to my tough little man. Happy 1****st**** Birthday Griffin! **

**Thanks for the reviews guys. You rock! Keep em' coming please.  
**

Chapter 8 – Say When

Talan tapped his hands on the steering wheel of Emmett's battered old Hummer thinking maybe it was time he got his own vehicle. The awkward silence that hung between him and Jacob was producing more than a little tension. What exactly had he been thinking when he'd asked the wolf if he wanted a ride to Leah's? Jacob leaned over and pressed the button to turn on the radio switching through channels before settling on something heavy and loud.

"Disturbed? Really, could you have picked anything more overdramatic?" Talan cried over the amped voice screaming. He couldn't figure out why he was so antagonized, the song was one of his favourites but it was the simple fact that Jacob had picked it that seemed to annoy him.

"I'm feeling a little dramatic today" Jacob sneered and folded his arms over his chest.

"Tell me about it" Talan replied and suddenly realized that he really had no more reasons left to hate Jacob Black. He could say it was because getting Renesmee pregnant would put her in danger but that would be a lie. The simple truth was that he didn't hate Jacob and that was the clincher. "What are the odds that we'd both end up in the same boat?" Talan pulled the hummer into a wooded path and cut the gas.

"Is this the part where you kill me and hide my dead body in the woods?" Jacob joked still sitting comfortably against the leather seats.

"Man, what the hell are we going to do?" Talan asked completely ignoring Jacob's snide comment. Jacob's face went from mirth to concentration almost instantly.

"I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to apologize for being a dick, tell my wife that I love her and that we'll figure it out. At the end of the day it's her body and to give you the benefit of my experience with the Cullen women I'll tell you now, Talan, they're going to make their own decisions anyway" Jacob finally turned to look Talan in the eyes and saw the same terrified expression that so closely mirrored his own.

"...so we have no say whatsoever in this?" Talan asked dubiously. It was scary to have such a huge decision to be made that had an effect on his own life but to really not have any say.

"We can act like we do, sure, but in the end it has to be their choice. We just have to convince them to hear Carlisle out"

"...and if they still don't listen to reason?" Talan added

"Then we're both going to be fathers" Jacob finished as Talan practically flung himself back into his seat in frustration. His insane laughter pierced through the tense silence that had lasted a few minutes. "What's so funny?" Jacob asked in an astonished voice.

"Dude, were finishing each other's sentences" Talan snorted. Jacob couldn't quite help the laughter from bubbling up. The vampire had a point.

"Start the car, man, before we start hugging. I don't think I could handle the hugging"

Renesmee was having a blast and finally, completely full. Her belly practically sloshed with the insane amount of blood she had drunk. She sat down beside Kalika on the giant rock just inside the woods next to Leah's. Kalika nodded off in the direction of the driveway alerting Renesmee to the sound of a car and sure enough the bright yellow hummer could be seen coming through the trees. Oddly enough both Jacob and Talan were driving together; this could be dangerous.

"Here they come" Kalika said redundantly and wondered just what kind of mood Talan would be in today. Her decision was already made and there was nothing he could say that would sway her from carrying the tiny being she'd seen in Renesmee's vision. She clasped her hand tightly with the cousin that had always been more like a sister and felt instantly better. They were a team now and neither of them would back down.

"I guess we have to talk to them sometime" Renesmee replied sending a tiny smile in Kalika's direction. Talan parked the Hummer next to the trees. Thankfully everyone else had already left. Embry had come to pick Samara up and the rest of them had left with Bella. Leah had only just left to go watch Tristan with the threat of severe violence if anything happened to the house while she was away. "Let's get this over with"

Kalika released her hand as they both walked over to the opposite sides of the huge truck their men were standing beside. Renesmee walked to Jacob and suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of joy. She'd missed him terribly even though it had only been one night.

"Hi" she said quietly and leaned in for a quick kiss. Jacob's eyes never wavered from hers not even when Talan and Kalika began to argue. Being without her, even for a night had been torture. All he wanted now was to hold her, to make it all okay. The arguing intensified across the hood of the car as Talan raved about something.

"Well that didn't take long" Jacob grinned and gestured towards the house "How about we go talk about this somewhere a little quieter" As soon as the door was shut behind them in the foyer Jacob grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into him. He lowered his head to hers and Renesmee clung to him tightly. Jacob touched his heated lips to her cold ones and found the sensation a little like coming home after a long absence. Their mouths fused together moving in perfect sync as they kissed passionately. Renesmee brushed her hands down over his body feeling every tense muscle as she went and fisted her hands in the hem of his shirt. Jacob's body quaked in response at the feeling of her knuckles brushing his skin and took the kiss deeper. He nibbled the bottom of her lip and when hers parted; when she sighed he let his tongue delve into the cool depths of her mouth. They tangled together, lips sliding against one another, hands questing. Jacob ran his fingers over the tops of her breasts and down over to her stomach. Suddenly, with the touch of his hands on her belly, Renesmee felt very ill. It was a sensation she hadn't ever been accustomed to and so she didn't recognize what was happening when she first wretched.

"You're going to throw up" Jacob told her as he leaned away and held her hand trying to get her to the nearest receptacle for the impending vomit. They managed to make it to the kitchen and he held her hair back as she leaned over the deep stainless steel sink. Blood spurted out from her mouth in a flow that seemed like it might never end. Jacob hadn't thought it possible for her to look any paler but she did, her face seemed to absolutely drain of any color, so much so her skin was almost bluish in color. When she finally stopped urging Jacob started the water to wash the blood down as Renesmee slid boneless to the floor. She felt too warm and more than a little clammy. As soon as the mess was cleared Jacob sat down beside her and laid his arm around her.

"You have to see Carlisle, Ness" he said clinging onto her just a little tighter when she groaned.

"I'm not getting rid of this baby, Jacob. I've decided that I'm having it no matter what"

Jacob had been afraid that, that would be the reaction and though he had tried to prepare himself to step back and allow her to decide this vomiting incident had made him more nervous. If she couldn't keep her food down than how would she nourish herself and the baby? She started sniffing next to him.

"We don't know yet if you can even have this baby. Carlisle won't be sure until he runs some tests but he thinks the difficulties will be vast and I just think we need all the facts before we..." he couldn't finish his thoughts with Renesmee madly sniffing the air as if she was trying to discern the scent of something. "What is it?"

"I don't know, Jake but something in this room smells...delightful" he followed her gaze to the leftover waffles that Leah had obviously made and his mouth hung open at the sight. They did look pretty good but to his knowledge Renesmee had never had a taste for human food.

"You...want waffles?" Jacob asked in surprise and watched as Renesmee nodded.

"I want waffles" she stated sounding nearly as shocked as Jacob "and I'm having this baby, Jake. I don't care what the risks are. This child is a part of me and I'm going to have it" she said still staring at the waffles.

"No, Renesmee, _were _having this baby" he said placing a hand reverently on her tummy. Together they saw the image that she projected of the tiny little being sleeping in its dim, watery home. Jacob gasped and took his hand quickly away. As soon as the initial disbelief passed he laid his fingers back over the teeny little bump that had seemed to have formed overnight and gave his wife a kiss. "It's going to work out, isn't it?" There was a glimmer of hope in his heart at the sight of the child they had created together.

"As long as I get those waffles, everything will be fine" she said with her tongue practically hanging out.

"Well than let's get you some waffles. If this kid is anything like me though I'm going to need to make another batch"

Leah tapped the wheel as she drove toward the pathway hat would lead to what she liked to think of as the Cullen cottage. She sang along with The Fray playing on her brand new car stereo.

_Come across you're lost and broken  
You're coming to, but you're slow and waking  
You Start to shake, you still haven't spoken, what happened  
They're comin' back and you just don't know it  
and you wanna cry but there's nothin' comin'  
They're gonna push until you give in, say when_

She turned to head into the wooded lane singing at the top of her lungs now. It had been a pretty good day so far but vampire watch wasn't exactly what Leah thought of as a great way to finish it. The sun was still high in the summer sky, a great day for a suntan but instead of bathing in its rays she'd be hiding from it in a dank little house.

_Never stops, until we give in, give in, say when_

The chorus kicked in just as she parked her jeep heap next to shiny new silver Volvo cursing silently to herself; Edward, damn. She'd thought it would be Phoenix or Seth that she was relieving. Being around Edward always made her nervous. Just knowing that he could every thought she had was disconcerting at best. Leah went to the door with her backpack in hand and knocked on the solid wood before turning the brass knob. The Cullen crest was emblazoned on the little knocker, she noted, as she walked into the cozy living area. This house was much different from the huge mansion Carlisle and Esme had erected to house the entire family. Not only was it smaller but it was brightly decorated with no apparent theme or style. Blue vases mixed with yellow walls and bright red furniture mixed with brown throws. Unlike the museum she was used to this place was positively...homey. Everything about the simple, comfy decor screamed Bella. Leah laid her backpack down on a brown leather recliner just as Edward was descending the staircase.

"Your late" he stated heading straight for the door.

"It's 3...Seth told me to be here at 3"

"Yes but there are instructions and now I'm going to be late" Edward ran a hand through his hair clearly frustrated.

"What kind of instructions? Don't feed the vampire? I think I get that one and what the hell are you in such a hurry for anyway?" Leah couldn't help but ask. Curiosity was one of her worst qualities. She made a mental note to work on that later. Edward sighed heavily and turned to face her with those burning golden eyes narrowed. Something was going on, something big.

"Tristan hasn't spoken, to anyone since he's been awake so leave him alone. Your job is to just sit here and make sure he stays put"

"I assume you've been feeding him or is all of this just your clever way of getting rid of me" Leah cracked with a snort.

"He's been hunting, yes but he's volatile yet so we've been bringing the blood to him so to speak. There's a deer chained up in the backyard in case he gets peckish. I've got to get up to the house so is there anything else?" he sounded more tired than angry, just at the end of his tether.

"One thing" Leah said biting her lip "What's going on that's so big you had to ask me to babysit the newborn?"

"Family meeting, everyone else is busy with...things" he replied obviously speaking of the pregnancy uproar. "It came down between you and Asher Denali and..."

"...and since Asher is a complete dumbass" Leah finished

"Exactly and Leah, don't make me regret this" Edward replied closing the door with a tidy little snap. Leah was left alone in the quiet to ponder Edward's strange behaviour. He was often weird, sometimes awkward but never that odd. He'd looked caught somewhere between scared and depressed when he'd left and Leah had to wonder just what the "meeting" was about. She shrugged it off and picked her Ipod out of her backpack but thought better of it and put it back.

"Ugh" Leah said plopping down into the plush red sofa hearing nothing but the echoes of her own voice in the high ceilinged room. It was impossible to sit downstairs and _not _think about the vampire upstairs. He had been awake for a few days now hadn't he so just what the hell was he doing up there, and why wouldn't he speak? Leah knew all about the incident the day that his sisters had come to see him, how he had freaked out and nearly bitten Piper before Jasper, Edward and Phoenix had pulled him away. Obviously he didn't have Bella's disposition for the change. She picked out the notebook she'd brought with her to work on her recipes and sat there chewing on her pencil for about 5 minutes before deciding to ignore Edward's rules. Leah stood and considered her options. She could stay down there in the living room bored to tears and wondering or she could go upstairs facing a possibly rabid vampire.

"Here we go" she said and headed for the mahogany staircase. Making the choice was easy but actually carrying it through was slightly terrifying. She thought about all the possible pitfalls of her actions as she climbed the stairs and walked to the little room with the door swung wide. Tristan was sitting in a chair facing the window. All Leah's view permitted her to see was the sweep of his long dark hair, cheekbones that looked to be made of iron and a strong physique that he'd obviously spent a great deal of time working on. It couldn't be too bad of a deal to be forever stuck in a state of such virility could it? Most men would beg to be in his shoes, to never age or lose their youth but he seemed to feel differently. She knew that he sensed her presence from the slight frown that suddenly adorned his face. He turned to face her and the breath was instantly knocked out of her lungs. It was as if she'd been hit by a freight train. It wasn't merely the fact that he was beautiful even though that was not to be discounted; it was that she suddenly felt drawn to him, bound.

"Fuck"

_I see you there, don't know where you come from  
Unaware but you're still from someone  
Don't appear to care that I saw you, and I want you_

It was so unexpected and so insanely unwanted that Leah wanted to turn and run away, anywhere would be fine as long as she never had to admit that she had finally imprinted and it was on a vampire. It was like she had been shot straight into the pages of some sickly twisted version of Romeo and Juliet. She was a wolf, he was a vampire. Naturally speaking they were supposed to be mortal enemies but for some reason the powers that be had seen fit to tie so many of the Quileute people to vampires and now she had to count herself amongst those unlucky few.

"You really are too pretty for such an ugly word" Tristan spoke quietly and shocked Leah senseless. Had Edward been lying when he'd told her the man hadn't spoken?

"You...you're talking?" Leah simply couldn't seem to speak straight and she knew her mouth was hanging open but wasn't able to stop it. He smiled and his mouth turned up at the corners devastatingly, like a droll muse. His eyes were as red as rubies and twice as fiery reminding Leah of the darker side.

"Yeah, I can talk, it's a miracle" he snickered still looking directly at her with those frightening eyes. Despite their evil red glow Leah still couldn't seem to suppress the urge to comfort him. It was clear that he was upset, scared and more than a little melancholy at his new situation. She felt it all as if they were her own feelings. His wants were hers, his desires she knew she would grant without a second thought.

"So why haven't you spoken to anyone else?" she asked shuffling her feet in a nervous manner that was so unlike her. She hadn't felt this burning need since Sam and even that was paltry in comparison to how she felt right now.

"I guess, maybe, I never had anything to say until now. Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" Tristan said with a grin and when he stood from the chair it wasn't as smooth as his voice had been. He seemed to be at a loss for balance and nearly tripped over the leg of the chair.

"Still haven't quite gotten the hang of those new legs huh?" She teased lightly ignoring his comment about her beauty.

"It's kind of odd to already be on your feet before you even think about it" He muttered and somehow managed to make it look as if he had planned the clumsiness all along as he steadied himself and began to walk toward her; maybe he had.

_Turn around and you're walkin' toward me  
I'm breakin' down and you're breathin' slowly  
Say the word and I will be your man, your man, say when_

The breath once again got knocked out of her lungs as Leah watched him swagger over to her. His white shirt was unbuttoned down to the middle showing off a rock hard chest full of muscle. He'd left it un-tucked over the too long brown cords. His hair swung down to his shoulders and somehow made him look very old, almost Celtic in appearance. It was as if he had walked out of a fantasy novel; tall, dark and handsome.

_Too good to be true! _Her mind screamed at her but her body refused to listen. She was simply dazzled by the man before her and Leah decided easily that it was her responsibility now to help him through this new phase, to be there for him, comfort and protect him.

_And my own two hands will comfort you tonight, tonight, say when  
And my own two arms will carry you tonight, tonight_

"What's your name?" he queried softly now only standing a few steps away.

"Leah, Leah Clearwater"

"Are you a wolf then, Leah?" The low tones of his voice sounded strangely as if he were mocking her. She smiled in response nodding her head slowly.

_Interesting _she thought darkly to herself.

"I can be" she replied in the same honey toned voice that practically screamed sex. It was a game now, and one she fully intended to win. He took a few more steps in her direction, so close now she could feel her breath pulsing back at her from his granite skin.

"You really are very pretty. Positively delicious" Tristan's said in a low voice. He stroked a cold finger over her overheated cheek inciting a riot of reactions within her. Her body was at war but somehow, through it all, her mind was crystal clear. He was a vampire and a new one at that; Tristan was not to be trusted. When he brushed her hair off her face, she let him and even leaned her neck back in what she knew would appear to be surrender. Baiting him was almost as enjoyable as the certain knowledge that she was about to give him a comeuppance. Out of the corner of her eye Leah saw his eyes darken, the wicked smirk that adorned his face as he leaned in. With a smirk of her own she waited until his lips were merely a breath away from her tender flesh and then used the advantage of her craned neck, the momentum to head butt him.

Tristan flew across the room smashing heavily into the chair he'd only minutes before been sitting in. Leah rounded on him immediately and grabbed him up by the collar with all of the strength her heritage had befitted her.

"I may be pretty, but I'm not dumb" she yelled directly into his face and smashed him up against the wall. He was obviously in shock or just too young to know what to do. Leah knew he had no training in the art of war and used that to her advantage. He snarled at her, growling like an animal while he thrashed and still she held on baring her own teeth. She was in charge of him now and even though she knew Edward was going to kick her ass for this, it was done and there was no going back now. "Calm down" she commanded in a tone that would rival even Jacob's alpha voice.

"You need to eat, there's a deer outside all ready and waiting for you. Try that again bat boy and I kill you; understand" Leah slid Tristan down the wall and gave him one more push for emphasis before letting go. She walked out of the room slowly, stopping for only a second to throw a fuming look over her shoulder. The door slamming behind her finally snapped the roaring ocean of sound the adrenaline had caused. Leah couldn't really remember being quite so pissed off and if she ever got a hold of Edward _she _was going to be the one kicking _his _cold, dead ass. What were they thinking? What had Carlisle been thinking keeping him locked up in a room under constant surveillance? He needed to learn to hunt, to fight, to resist his venomous urges and he needed to do those things quickly. They didn't have time to coddle a newborn vamp now that they were on the cusp of war and if she had to be the one to do it then so be it. She wanted to slump down against the wall, to let the haze of insanity wash over her. Maybe she hadn't imprinted at all, maybe it was all some sort of cosmic joke but Leah knew she could deny her fate no longer. It was time to get to work.

Tristan could still hear her breathing outside the door, her heart beating steadily. He could still smell the slightly odd smell of her blood and wanted to wretch at what he'd become. He was a monster, he knew that now. A soulless beast was housed within his silent heart and all it wanted was to feed, to kill. He thought about it all as he finally stepped outside the room into the now empty hallway. He'd heard her leave a few minutes before, the female wolf, Leah. He hadn't been lying when he'd said she was pretty but Christ he'd wanted to _kill _her. Instead she had shown him the depth of what he'd really become and the path he never wanted to take. He would adopt the Cullen way of life that Carlisle had explained to him and he would make it work. His family needed him and Tristan would not leave them to suffer, or mourn him. He was going to make this work and it started now.


	9. Currents and Shadows

**A/N: Thanks for the responses! I love reviews. They tend to inspire me to write new chapters faster so keep em' coming and I'll update quicker. Or at least I'll update as fast as my hectic life allows me to. I am the mother of 3 kids under the age of 5, I have my own business and in my "spare" time I volunteer at my local YMCA teaching an after school Creative Writing class to kids. This leaves me little time to write as you may be able to tell from my infrequent update, sorry :(**

**I should answer a few questions that have been asked in my reviews however. One of the most prevalent questions is about Phoenix's ability and I will only say that it's being kept a secret for the time being but will be revealed shortly. There are a few housekeeping sort of chapters I need to get through before we get to that and the inevitable build up toward a battle. Yes, it's coming. This one will rock your world, leave you breathless and hopefully shocked as hell. Actually I think even I was a little shocked when I read the bare bones outline I hastily typed after waking from a weird dream at 4am. You'll have to keep following this story to get to that though. Aren't I just a terrible tease?  
**

Chapter 9 – Currents and Shadows

Leah sat outside on the old iron chair debating whether or not to go back in the house and drag Tristan out by the hair. He certainly had enough of it. She thought of all that long, raven black hair falling around a face that would never fade from her memory. His expression from the moment he'd spied her had been predatory; his eyes a terrifying gleam of red. How could she have imprinted on a vampire and not only just a vampire but one that wanted to kill her from the very first glimpse? It was playing with fire, in more ways than one. If he were to bite her, to even just graze her neck once with his teeth, the venom would kill her. Leah knew she should stay away from him, she wanted to call Seth and tell him to get his brooding ass over here to relieve her but there was a part of her that simply couldn't leave.

"Damnit!" she yelled and as she stood kicked a grimacing gargoyle. It flew into the little rock wall and shattered into pieces.

"I'm assuming that was a fair representation of what you'd like to do to me right now" Tristan said appearing out of nowhere. Leah sighed in unreserved frustration.

"Christ, don't sneak up on me like _that_" She spun on her heel fervently hoping that he was over his bloodlust now. She eyed him dubiously and saw that he at least had gotten himself under some sense of control. His eyes were pleading when he looked back at her now.

"I don't want to be like this. It wasn't exactly on my life list of things to do" It sounded like an apology, certainly looked like an apology but Leah couldn't help but wonder if this was just another clever ploy to lure her into being careless.

"Go to Paris, join Green Peace, become a vampire...No I'm sure it wasn't but shit happens Tristan, it happens to good people every day, all the damn time" her sigh was heavy as she gave a passing thought to her father's sudden death and how it had shaped her "It's what we do with the hand we've been dealt that matters" she said quietly, feeling the light breeze flutter through her hair.

"My sisters need me. Leah, I know I have very little right to ask after what I did up there..."Tristan trailed off closing his eyes on a scowl as the scent of her blood wafted to him in the breeze. He swallowed the burning hot venom that was pooling rapidly in the back of his throat and opened his eyes again. "I need help and I think you may be the only one who can save me"

He watched as the breeze fingered the ends of her dark curly hair, saw the way her mouth went flat, considering and couldn't help but be drawn by the melancholic gaze in her dark, gorgeous eyes.

"Why not Jasper or even Edward? If you need to learn how to be a veggie vampire one of the Cullen's might be a better choice" Leah's heart was beating just a little bit faster than it had been only moments before.

"Exactly, they're both vampires, dead. How can I learn to control the urge if I don't have any temptation to overcome?"

"So I'm to be bait then?" Leah exclaimed in a fierce tone that for some reason made him feel comforted. She would not back down and if he was to get out of line she wouldn't simply cower, Leah would fight him, stop him.

"I prefer to think that after a time I will build up a tolerance to your blood. I won't pull anymore stunts like that again. Please, Leah"

She saw the desperation reflected in the bloody pools of his eyes, the apology in his tone and made the only decision she could. He was her imprint. What choice was there but to help him? It would be easier to deny him if he had decided that he didn't want the Cullen way of life but she was seemingly powerless to stop the clawing need to give him help now that he'd asked.

Wordlessly, she walked to the deer placing a hand on its flank in a futile attempt to calm it as it cowered under Tristan's gaze. Leah couldn't help but feel like _she _was the deer; defenceless to stop the darkly handsome man from stealing her heart and maybe even her life.

"I don't have a lot of knowledge about this but I do know that the more you feed in the first few months the easier the transition will be" Leah unhooked the chain from the post and held it firmly in her hand as the frightened animal thrashed and kicked "You won't learn to hunt when your prey is all but fed to you" she spat ruefully and readied herself for the shift. She would need her wolf form to keep up to him once the hunt began.

Tristan watched as the chain slipped through Leah's hands, as the deer darted out through the trees and marvelled at the transformation of woman to wolf. He stood there dumbstruck at the sight of the whitish grey fur that covered her form feeling something foreign creeping in. It was an odd feeling, a human sensation which was odd considering the lack of such emotion he had been experiencing over the past few days. Leah's howl brought him back to the present and with a cocky head gesture that was all challenge she took off after the deer.

"Here we go" Tristan whispered to himself and shot into the brush almost directly behind the wolf. He was fast, almost flying through the trees without any care that he might hit something. It was as if he _knew _where the obstacles would be before they even appeared before him and was able to dodge them effortlessly. He had always been accustomed to having ability what with the gift of fire that had been passed to him but this was beyond anything he had ever imagined was possible. He could see everything, hear things that he had never heard before. The sound of leaves rustling in the trees was almost deafening but what's more was that he could hear the twitter of birds that were miles away, the sounds of water falling against rock. It was all mashed together and yet somehow separate. Tristan tried to block it all out, to concentrate on the sound of the deer's rapidly beating heart but along with it he could hear the more steady rhythm of Leah's.

He saw her as if through a long tunnel bathed in suns glinting rays and just beyond her was the deer. Somehow, despite his limited practice with the hunt he knew what to do, could feel his muscles bunching, at the ready for an attack and when he shot past Leah, when he tackled the defenceless animal to the dirt he let his instincts guide him. His teeth were razor sharp as he bit into the animal's neck, cutting through the furry hide and into the sinew. Finally, and much to his delight a flood of liquid began to pool into his mouth. It tasted metallic and slightly musky. It wasn't exactly pleasant but it did quench the screaming burn in the back of his throat. The ease of taking the animal out, the lack of challenge didn't exactly appeal to Tristan's sense of competitiveness but for now it would do. He drained every ounce from the now limp beast and wanted more. The burn had been only slightly sated by the blood of the deer. The white wolf stood with light shimmering over her flank patiently waiting and keeping herself at a safe distance. She nodded in his direction the gestured off to the west. Tristan knelt and again tried to let his instincts lead the way. He relied on his newly heightened senses to hear the faint beat off in the distance. Before he knew it he was sucking down more hot blood, this time from an unsuspecting mountain lion. There was something insanely prevailing about winning against a creature that had once been at the top of the food chain, something ancient about taking nourishment from a being he'd hunted himself. It was certainly better than having his food brought to him.

While he considered the merits of his new condition Tristan caught a whiff of something a little sweeter than animal blood, a scent floated to him on the breeze along with the bright peal of childish laughter. He could hear the slightly more rapid beating of a child's heart and something inside of him strained at the notion. Leah, having sensed the same things herself darted in front of him, standing regal before him as if to let him know that she would take him down if he even attempted an attack. She lifted her furry snout and howled full force. Tristan hadn't realized that he'd been growling, almost snarling like the beast he'd just killed until Leah's canine call sounded. He struggled with himself. The straining feeling intensified until it seemed as if he might simply burst into flame if he didn't drink the blood of the sweetly smelling child but coupled with it was a horror so deep for even thinking it a possibility. When he took a step forward Leah bit down on the leg of his pants just grazing his granite flesh with a threat to take things further if he persisted.

Leah knew without a doubt from the familiar scent that it was Claire off in the distance with Quil and instantly began to regret bringing the vampire so close to the reservation. She knew that if Tristan so much as took one more step into the trees he would be in Sam's territory and that would mean dire consequences for everyone. His body quaked under her teeth desperate for a taste of human blood and when his snarls only intensified Leah had to take him down. She jumped up, using the momentum of her hind legs to push him over. Tristan hit the ground with a roar and when he tried to get up Leah remained atop his chest holding him trapped, teeth bared and claws at the ready. He thrashed underneath her snapping like a rabid animal and she realized that a distraction was in order. It was risking her own skin, literally but at this point she would do anything to keep the frenzy from killing someone she cared for. Leah threw back her head and felt the sensation of her body shifting, changing back.

Much to Tristan's surprise she was human again but what was most surprising was her absolute nakedness. She was perched atop his chest straddling him in a way that made him remember that he was a man, a piece of him was still blissfully human and he focused on that. The tremors began to slow as he took in the sight of her long raven hair waving across her bare breasts in the summery breeze. There was still a desire in him, a burning need that suddenly had nothing to do with blood. Tristan fixed his gaze on Leah's narrowed eyes. Something passed between them in that moment like electricity zapping the air before she got up, turning and unabashedly pulled her hair back from her angular face. He got up swiftly and laid his hands lightly on her hips. It was a bold move, one he knew could easily get him put back down on the ground but her curves were irresistible as was the tiny little birthmark just above her hipbone. What he failed to see was the little curve of Leah's lips at the touch of his fingertips lying ever so slightly on her burning skin. Leah heard his little groan as she bent over to pull on the purple sundress she'd brought with her.

"Hands off fireball" she teased shimmying into the simple cotton and putting her arms into the straps before whirling to face him again not quite suppressing the triumphant gleam.

"Mmm... I knew you could help me; beautiful Leah"

She couldn't figure why his adding such a title to her name unnerved her or why the touch of his cold fingers brought her such a thrill. Leah thought to herself that she had been waiting very impatiently for someone to see her in that light so why did it frighten her so? She sighed heavily and stared down at her bare feet.

"My house isn't far. We should go" Leah said quietly and wondered if Quil had sensed the danger in the woods. He and Claire were already gone but she wasn't taking any more chances.

"Inviting me back to your place? But Leah, we've only just met" Tristan teased his voice an intoxicating mixture of cream over whiskey. Her eyes shot up to meet his devastating grin.

"Yeah, I'll bet you were a real heartbreaker, weren't you?" she mulled it over briefly thinking about all of the girls that had gotten to be with him when he was still human. Would she have imprinted on him if she'd met him then? Shaking her head she began to lead the way towards home. Those questions would have to wait. Tristan followed behind her trying to come up with some clever response to her not so subtle line of questioning and decided on the truth.

"I don't remember much. It's all a blur of images, quick bursts of emotions and then there's nothing again. Everything just goes blank when I try to think about it" Twigs snapped under his heavy shoes while Leah's bare footed steps were silent. Coupled with it, just off in the distance was the sound of raised voices.

"I'm sure your sisters would fill in the blanks for you" Leah replied wondering which of the drama laced couples was fighting in her front yard.

"Yeah, maybe if they could get within a hundred feet of me that would be possible. I tried to _kill _Piper the last time"

"It'll get easier" Leah's reassurances seemed hollow almost as if she didn't believe her own words. "Did you know that Jasper once attacked Bella?" she asked, attempting to lighten the sudden dark turn in the mood.

"Jasper?" Tristan exclaimed

"Yep, he did. Look at him now. He's like the paramour of self-control" Leah finished and sighed as soon as she took the first step through the tree line. Kalika and Talan were standing next to Emmett's old hummer both gesturing emphatically to make their points. Leah decided it might be best to take the back door into the house and turned sharply. "We'd better take the back door. It looks like those two could go nuclear any second"

* * *

"What can Carlisle tell me that I don't already know?" Kalika exclaimed fighting to find some sense of calm but it was difficult to do with Talan making demands almost from the moment he'd stepped out of the truck.

"I don't know, Kali, but we can't do this blind. We have to figure out what exactly _it_ is in there" Talan replied coarsely. He was beyond exasperated and they'd only been talking for a few minutes. It seemed like every time he spoke she just got angrier. He couldn't quite figure out why what he was saying was having that particular effect. It all sounded so rational in his head.

"_It_?" Kalika yelled her arms flying out in pure frustration "It as you so _eloquently _put it is a child; A tiny, helpless baby. What would you have me do Talan get rid of him or her?"

"I realize that might be difficult but if it puts you in danger than that might be the right way to handle it, yes" he said wincing when he saw her eyes go hard and stormy. Nothing seemed to be coming out of his mouth quite the way he wanted it to.

"Why don't you just say what you really mean? Call it what it is. You want me to murder this child and it has nothing to do with me at all. You're just a coward. I don't know why I didn't see it before" she hissed and stalked a few paces away sputtering. Talan wanted to reach out, to touch her, hold her and just make it all go away. He wondered how he could have been so stupid and now that the damage had been unwittingly done all he wanted was to try and make it right.

"Don't say that Kali! Everything I've done, everything I'm doing is for you. Can't you see how much I love you? This is all just a little bit more than I expected"

"Don't you pull that on me. Do you think this is what _I _wanted? As I recall it was you who came to me that night. You were waiting there in my room"

"I know. We both made a mistake. Not in being together but just for being so careless about it. You could be putting yourself in harm's way if you go through with this and it's my fault" Talan finished quietly as he stroked a hand down her pale, reddish-blond locks gently. The sunlight illuminated her skin with a glow that made her seem more beautiful than ever if that was even possible. There was a touch of color in her cheeks that hadn't been there before; a blush of life.

"It's not a mistake. Don't you see that we've been given a gift? This little one is a piece of me and you. We made her, together and you want to just throw it away because of the odds. We've already defied them just in creating this child" Kalika took his hand into her own and held it against her only slightly swollen belly. Talan could almost feel the beat of life within and if he focused hard enough he could hear the steady thrumming of a tiny heart just beyond the sound of Kalika's. He held his hand there even when she took hers away terrified and wondrous all at once.

"I don't want to lose you. I've only just found you Kali" he said seriously with his melted caramel eyes staring straight into hers.

"Everything is going to be fine. You won't lose me" Kalika laughed almost excitedly as she felt a tiny nudge from within. It was the oddest feeling and yet so shocking to see the way it affected Talan. His face went from serious, to shocked, to incredulous in a finger snap. "See even she thinks so"

"She?" Talan gulped the word. It was no longer just a concept anymore, not since he'd felt that little bump under his fingertips. Now it was a thing of beauty, his child growing inside of the woman he adored.

"Yeah, I think it's a she" Kalika grinned at the slightly insane expression marked in every corner of Talan's face. He lowered his head to hers kissing her forehead gingerly.

"I've been a grade A asshole haven't I"

"Yes" Kalika replied without hesitation "but I haven't exactly been reasonable either"

"I just never...I thought it was part of the deal you know? I get to live possibly forever but I never get to have anything human. No family outside of this one, having to live a life of anonymity and certainly no children and now here I am facing the impossible. I guess I went a little nuts" Talan said feeling a little more pressed for words than he was used to. He buried his face into her hair and smelled the familiar scent of her shampoo. It was comforting.

"Trust me. I know the feeling" Kalika replied her voice a little quieter than before. She shuddered against his hard body "I'm scared, Talan" she whispered and felt his arms tighten around her.

"Me too but were going to be alright, baby. We'll get through this together" He replied softly.

Jacob was just coming out of the house with a very pale looking Renesmee clinging to him in an alarming sort of way. Talan gently turned Kalika around. She witnessed the silent exchange between the two men. Things had to be bad for mortal enemies to suddenly start acting like long lost pen pals.

"We have to get her to Carlisle" Jacob said as he helped Renesmee up into the high seat. He shut the door behind him and mouthed the word "now" to Talan. Something was wrong, of that much Kalika was certain and suddenly all of her hopes began to seem very far away. What if everything wasn't going to be alright? She moved quickly to get in beside Renesmee who was holding a wet cloth to her forehead weakly. Kalika reached over to hold the cloth and was surprised to find that Renesmee was warm, almost burning with what felt to Kalika's cool skin like a fever. Talan revved the engine and backed up quickly, gravel spitting as he accelerated down the path. In his rear view mirror he caught a flash of something black moving quickly just inside the trees but when he looked back there was nothing. _Must have been a bear _he thought and put his foot nearly to the floor. His only thought now was how fast he could get back to the Cullen residence.

The cloaked figure hid behind the huge old oak tree, its eyes gleaming red in the sunshine. The master would be pleased with this new information. Very pleased indeed.


	10. Prophecy

Chapter 10 – Prophecy

The cave was dark and wet as Damon sloshed through the puddles that had collected in last night's rain. He rubbed his hands nervously together in the hopes that this new piece of information would please the master. Corbin was seldom in a good mood. Torches lit the way to the large antechamber that had been constructed for the master's comfort during his stay. Damon swished into the room with a sweep of his cape, passing by the vampire guards that stood at the mouth of the chamber. Corbin lounged there in a deep-burgundy, velvet chair tapping his ringed fingers on the carved wood. His long hair waved over the deep red robes he wore over a gold shirt. The oracle, Norah, was sprawled in the corner with her arms bound behind her back. Her blue dress was stained by dirt and blood. She cowered under her stringy multi-colored hair the moment Corbin's head came up.

"Ah, Damon" he said making a steeple with his long fingered hands "I trust you have brought me good news this time? Your performance thus far has been rather....dissapointing" the statement was said with an undertone of violence, a threat simmering just below the surface of his eloquently spoken words.

"Yes...yes master, good news indeed" Damon answered just barely able to suppress the excitement in his voice. He would be rewarded handsomely for this.

"Well" Corbin drawled slowly.

"It is exactly as you'd hoped, sire. The Cullen girls are both with child and..."

"I don't care about the Cullen brats" Corbin boomed as he stood. He looked menacingly over at his servant clenching his hands "If you have nothing more..." he trailed off, suddenly calm as he gestured towards one of the hulky guards. Damon recoiled quickly as a pair of rough hands clamped down on his shoulder.

"No, sire, please. That's not all I have" he managed to squeak out between his terrified snivels. "The female wolf, Leah Clearwater"

"Now were talking" Corbin said wryly. He serenely sat back down with his robes billowing out over the chair and waved off the big vampire guard with a flick of his wrist "and what of the newborn?"

"Tristan is exactly as you'd hoped, master. Very unstable and Leah has been very...umm...helpful"

"and the other witch, the female elemental, has she found her way to Seth?"

"No...I don't think so. I've been watching her with the Cullen boy, Phoenix" Damon related nervously with absolute certainty that this revelation would upset his master.

"Unacceptable. What do I have you all for? Idiots! I should have known that if I wanted the job done correctly to do it myself" Corbin raged and knocked over an empty chalice. Damon staggered back slumping against the wall scarcely blinking before his master was upon him. He was raised nearly to the ceiling by his throat, his eyes bulged like red pools of blood rolling back white into his head.

"Corbin, you need not fret" Norah suddenly jumped up with her pale eyes gone to smoke. They were unusual for a vampire, nearly violet in color and as varied as a polished opal when the visions came. The rattling of chains was the only noise other than the terrified gasps of the vampire spy "Leah is the one you need to focus on. Isn't that why we herded the three witches here? It was exactly as I envisioned it from the moment Zachary turned Tristan. He is meant to be with the female wolf. Zachary's sacrifice was a good one"

"and Aurora? What of her? She was also supposed to be turned was she not?" Corbin questioned still holding his minion against the dripping stone wall.

"Her path is not yet settled. Perhaps Phoenix will turn her and then she and Seth will be together. She has yet to make a decision about who she truly loves but it does seem that Samara's path is clearing. I have seen her with the wolf. Their fates are intertwined" Norah's voice was almost pleading and she was desperate now to help the only friend she had left since her lover's death. She knew that the only way to free Damon was for Corbin to be angry at her and the quickest way to do that was by telling him what he _didn't _want to hear.

"Samara is to be _mine!" _Corbin's icy screams echoed in the dank cave drowning out the thud of Damon's body hitting the rocky floor. Norah felt the bite of his sword against her hard skin long before she heard the velvety noise it made coming out of its sheath. With enough pressure she knew that she would be looking up at her own decapitated body and though the very prospect terrified her, she also knew that she was far too valuable an asset for him to lose.

"I'm sure she will be" Norah said calmly biting back the snaking fear "The child Corbin. I have seen him in my vision" she deflected knowing that this was his whole reason for being since he had first glimpsed the tattered parchment "The chosen one, born of both beast and vampire, set to bring about the destruction of the vilest of races, the plague of humanity. His power will be such that the angels will weep and the demons will join him in his battle cries. The world will be his to reign over beginning a new race, a new era of superior beings" Norah recited the prophecy as it had been written hundreds of years ago by Aro's own hand.

"Are you forgetting, dear Norah, that there is a much less enjoyable outcome to that prophecy _If we should lose!_" his razor sharp teeth were bared in a snarl as he bellowed the last few words.

"Perhaps than it is time to do what is needed to bring your plans to fruition?" Norah questioned softly, trying not to register the bite of the heavy sword. Damon groaned loudly in the corner and was hoisted to his feet by the vampire guards. Corbin whirled away, swiftly sheathing his sword before setting his wicked grin back upon his seer.

"Is it time?" he asked with an almost giddy disposition.

"Yes" Norah whispered with the sick knowledge that she was condemning so many to their doom. The dreams and visions of what was to come had plagued and haunted her nearly every night.

"Rally the first battalion, Brock" Corbin said to the dark vampire that had been sitting calmly throughout the entire outburst. The giant nodded and stood in a bow that somehow managed to look regal despite Brock's large size. "As for you, Damon" he began "you will continue to watch the Cullens and the Quiluetes. Do everything in your power to throw Leah and Tristan together. Take the Cullen boy out of the equation. We want the witch to be with Seth. The chosen one must be born at any cost"

"...and...umm...Samara" Damon gulped in terror.

"I'll take her when the moon is full along with her whelp lover. I want him to watch when she gives all to me" Corbin explained as if he were speaking in a dream. In his mind she was already his.

"I assume you will want the others captured" Brock finally spoke in his full, booming voice. His dark eyes almost melded with the color of his skin as the candles flickered about the room.

"Only the talented ones, the ones that Aro covets for himself shall be my captives but most importantly I want the Quiluetes, Brock. Bring them to me alive and screaming"


	11. Prophecy Part 2

**A/N: This one flew out of my fingers! I enjoyed getting back to writing about the original cast. Thanks for all of your kind reviews and help throughout this experience. I appreciate it more than I can say. Sooooo...Please read, enjoy, review in that order...lol**

**So much is coming so brace yourselves! I feel a writing storm brewing  
**

Chapter 11 – Prophecy Part 2

It was an odd place for a meeting, especially this one Bella thought as she felt the breeze flutter through her long chocolate locks. Edward's hand was firm in her own, his face a mask of foreboding, his jaw clenched in a way that told her he was tense. They were all tense. That much was obvious as she looked around at her family. Alice and Jasper stood a few feet away on the grassy field Carlisle had suggested for the meeting. A neutral zone, he'd said but in looking at him now with his best diplomatic expression in place Bella could see his resolve breaking. Esme looked up at him twining her arm around his for support. The mist swirled around Rosalie's stylish black boots and up over the dark wash jeans that Emmett wore. His eyes were flat, his mouth set in a firm line. The core of the Cullen family was standing in the middle of the same field where the battle for Renesmee's life had been waged years before oddly enough waiting for the same enemy. Nobody had wanted this, least of all Carlisle but it had become apparent that the help of the Volturi might be needed after Alice's last vision and the information Samara had gathered from the captive. If there was to be a war then there would most certainly be human casualties which might bring attention to the more mystical things going on. This would be the very thing that Aro would not want. So the phone call had been made and a neutral ground decided upon. Now all that was left to do was wait.

"Do you see anything?" Jasper murmured into Alice's ear but everyone could hear the question. Alice shuddered slightly as if she were cold and clung to her lover tightly.

"Aro is on his way with Marcus and Caius. Jane and Alec are a few paces behind. Demetri is stationed there with a couple of others" Alice only shifted her eyes to the west to show everyone just where they had stationed him.

"I can hear Demetri's thoughts. He wants us to react, to cause trouble. It's all he can think about" Edward whispered through clenched teeth.

"We won't give him the satisfaction" Carlisle interjected quietly "This is to be a civilized meeting"

"It will be civilized as long as he doesn't threaten my girls again" Emmett boomed loud enough for any vampire within earshot to have heard. They all remembered back to a darker time when Aro had discovered Samara and Kalika's intertwined powers. He had offered them a place in the Volturi guard almost from the moment they'd been brought home with a hint of impending violence if the decision should not be in his favour. Emmett and Demetri had, had a throw down then tearing the side off of the house in the process. Rosalie frowned as she was forced to think about the day she'd almost lost her daughters to the Volturi's grasp. It had been the entire reason that Phoenix's ability be kept under the strictest of confidences. Aro had left empty handed that day but if he had known the gift her precious boy had been given the outcome would have been much different. She growled low in the back of her throat at the very inkling.

"Calm down, Rose. There will be no violence today. Is that understood?" Esme spoke up commanding in a tone that still made Rosalie feel as if she were a child instead of a grown woman with a family of her own. She halted her growls but looked up meaningfully into her husband's golden eyes. The look they exchanged was the same fierce steadfastness.

"We cannot afford to air our petty grievances now" Bella spoke up thinking about her own daughter and the life she carried. Aro would most certainly be interested in the new lives that were coming. It had to be kept quiet which was why the meeting had been planned with only the core family involved.

"They're coming" Edward spoke ominously in the misty air. The clouds hanging overhead had turned the field dark. The fog swirled on the ground and everyone's eyes were locked on the tree line. Bella could almost smell the anticipation and nerves of her family all lined up and waiting for the cloaked figures to burst onto the field. Jasper was sending out his usual calming waves but they were having little effect today.

_Is it still clear? _Edward projected directly into Alice's mind. She gave no indication that she had heard, simply sent him a response via her own thoughts.

_Aro is only here to see what Carlisle has to say. He has no other agendas that I can see right now._

_...and Jane?_

_She will do as her master commands. _

Alice's silent assurances only made Edward feel a little better about what was coming. There was a sweep of sound, the screech of a raven as it flew away in terror and a flicker of red as Aro came through the trees arrogantly first. Marcus and Caius came directly behind him forming a sort of triad. It may have been the dramatic cloaks they wore, or maybe it was simply the grace they had developed in their many years of life but all three of them seemed to float upon the mist rather than walking through it. Their faces peered out from under their hoods, bone white and withered with red pools set deep into the sockets. Even in this dim light they seemed to glow an eerie crimson that showed the life force of what they had been dining on. Edward could only hope that they had left the people of Forks alone on their journey. Aro's thoughts were difficult to read as he came forward to greet Carlisle with a warm handshake. Jane and Alec swiftly moved to his side seeming to come from nowhere in a sort of lithe dance.

"How are you old friend? You're looking a little underfed but I suppose that's to be expected" Aro asked Carlisle with genuine affection. The two of them had somehow managed to keep up a steady rapport even throughout all of the history between them. Edward knew it was because Aro was fascinated with the choices Carlisle had made while also being intrigued and a little apprehensive about the large coven he had created.

"I'm well, and you?" Carlisle replied in a voice that belied the strain he was obviously feeling. He ignored Aro's attempt at humour. They had patched things up since the half-breed incidents now that Aro was certain Carlisle had not been planning any kind of political overthrow.

"Excellent. How are the children doing? The boy, Phoenix, has he yet to discover his power?" Aro asked looking evocatively over at Rosalie with a twisted grin. Rosalie gasped angrily as Emmett's growls began to rip free, bringing Jane and Alec to the front of their master. Aro laughed heartily seeming to find the situation very amusing.

"Please, Aro we have business to discuss. The matters of my family are mine to control" Carlisle stated in a firm authoritative voice. Though his voice was calm and composed his eyes were dark with fury.

"Yes, yes, of course Carlisle. Now what is this business about Corbin? I thought we had gotten rid of that bad apple decades ago" Aro waved his watchdogs away with the exaggerated brush of one jewelled hand.

"It seems he has created his own faction. He is still after the same agendas, Aro. He wishes to find a way to turn the Quiluetes into vampires, to create a superior race" Carlisle explained.

"You have seen this?" Aro queried looking over into Alice's bright eyes. His face had dropped from the superior grin he had worn to a more curious expression.

"I have seen a battle, yes. He will capture the wolves but after that..." Alice gestured in defeat with her hands. "I have seen no further"

Caius stood in the background with fierce eyes his interest in the conversation suddenly piqued.

"So then were here because you had a vision that may or may not come true" he exploded "I knew it was a mistake to come here. Can't you see Aro, they have no useful information. This is a waste of your time" Bella could sense that there was something deeper going on here from the way Caius was talking. It dawned on her quickly and she stepped forward shrugging her hand free from Edward's restraining grip.

"You knew about this didn't you?" She cried coming just close enough to Aro to keep Jane and Alec from advancing. "How long were you planning on waiting before you warned us? Tell us what you know" she demanded, thoroughly angry at Caius's arrogance and Marcus's obvious boredom. "Settle down china doll. You know you're impotent against me" Bella called when Jane began to come forward, when she felt the burn of power brushing against her shield. Jane's eyes gleamed and a strange smirk crossed over her porcelain face and then dropped into fury when she realized that Bella's shield had already been effortlessly coating the entire family. She knew it was petty but Bella simply could not resist the fierce grin.

Aro lifted a finger that had Jane reluctantly retreating to stand with her brother but she clearly was not happy.

"Is this true?" Carlisle asked stepping to stand beside Bella. The others had all come into a kind of lopsided semi-circle. Everyone wanted to be close in case trouble was to follow.

"We have been watching him of late, yes" Aro began lifting his arms out in a twisted kind of apology "There is something that you don't know about Corbin, something that happened long before your time with us, Carlisle. You must remember Norah?" he questioned and continued when Carlisle nodded. "Norah had a vision of a child. This child was meant to be born during the first decade of the twenty-first century to two extraordinary parents. If you will allow Demetri to come forth I have the document that I wrote and then sealed away due to the destructive nature of what the vision proposed but not before Corbin had seen it. This is what began his obsession with creating the half-breeds. When he left us I would not allow him access to the vault and so instead he took Norah with him" Aro sighed and waited for Carlisle to give the necessary permission. Caius grunted in displeasure. He clearly thought that they should be the ones in charge here. After a long pause and a silent exchange between Carlisle and Emmett he finally spoke.

"It's fine"

Aro signalled for Demetri to come forward and he came through the trees exactly where Alice had said he would be. There were two female vampires with him and one very large, brawny looking male that gave even Emmett a run for his money. In his hand was a small leather tube. He handed it off to Aro and took his place beside Marcus with a conceited sneer for Emmett. The scroll that Aro unearthed from the tube looked very old and very delicate. Gingerly he handed the parchment to Carlisle and everyone waited while the words were read all except for Edward. His groan broke through the silence and he grabbed onto Bella sending her a thought that made her blood boil in terror.

"Read it Carlisle" Edward almost hissed in a fearful tenor. The others would have to know and when they did it was going to be difficult to calm the wildfire that would result. As the words were spoken the hush of the crowd began to rise into alarm.

_It will come to pass in the first decade of the twenty-first century that a child will be born. This extraordinary child will be of two breeds but also of two destinies. Many amazing children will come but only he will be gifted beyond measure. His fate will be determined in his first year of life when either he is fostered by the light or damned by the darkness. He can be either the source of a new reform, a new regime to bring unity to our changing world or the force that will burn it to the ground. The two paths are as diverse as the dawn is from the twilight. If the darkness should claim him, our way of life will certainly be at an end._

_Born of both beast and vampire, the chosen one, set to bring about the destruction of the vilest of races, the plague of humanity. His power will be such that the angels will weep and the demons will join him in his battle cries. The world will be his to reign over beginning a new race, a new era of superior beings to abolish the old regime._


	12. Never Say Never

**A/N: I know, I know it's been awhile since I updated! Sorry. It's wedding season and since my business delves into wedding centric things I am usually swamped this time of year. Add three kids and a desperate need to work on my own novel and there you have it. Anyway.......**

**Here is the latest installment. I mad it a big one to, hopefully, make up for all the time in between. It tells 3 different parts of the story in one chapter if that makes sense. I hope I tied it together well enough! The song in Part one is "Never Say Never" by The Fray.**

**Thanks for all your reviews guys. You keep me on my toes and gave me the much needed kick in the ass to get this up today :) So keep it up and I will keep on writing for you.  
**

Chapter 12 – Part 1 - Never Say Never

Seth's ears were pricked to the sound of crackling brush. He lifted the little ear buds out of his ears and laid his Ipod to the side where it continued to play. It was coming from in front of him and he braced himself to shift into beast form if necessary. He didn't scent vampire but who knew _what _was real and what wasn't lately. His hands clenched into fists as he stood, fervently hoping that it was just a wayward animal. He wasn't in the mood to deal with trouble today. It had been next to impossible for him to keep from ripping Phoenix apart when he'd learned what had gone down between him and Aurora; his imprint. It still dazed him, shocked and annoyed him at how quickly the ties had bound him to her, how insanely he wished for just a moment with her but Phoenix had gotten there first. He channelled that rage, bottled it just in case the sound in the woods was something other than friendly. The tinny strands of sunlight beamed through the trees and fell to glint on something metallic; a blade. Now he knew something was definitely up and felt the growl start low in his throat. The footsteps were getting closer and so was the inevitable shift from man to wolf. He saw the cloaked figure step out of the brush, face shadowed under the hood of the cloak, dagger in hand. He growled fiercely, the sound tearing from his body violently and the figure stopped cold. It reached up and with its long fingernails painted a bright purple lowered the cloak off of its face. Something about the shadowy figure calmed him, forced the screaming fury back down and with it the growl died in his throat. Aurora stepped into the glade with her brilliant red hair on fire in the light. Her skin was so incredibly full of color, her cheeks red in embarrassment and Seth noticed for the first time the dusting of little freckles that danced across her nose. She clutched a pretty dagger in one hand, a leather pouch in the other.

"_Some things we don't talk about  
better do without  
just hold a smile  
we're falling in and out of love  
the same damn problem"_

_Could she look more fantastical? _Seth wondered idly to himself. Aurora looked every bit the diligent witch with her purple cloak kissing the ground as she moved, the long gauzy dress she wore underneath of a slightly lighter color. She'd left her hair completely free but for a few tiny braids woven throughout. Her eyes, those insanely bright green orbs beamed straight into his soul and Seth wondered how the hell he was going to combat the rising pull. It felt as if he was tied to her with unbreakable chains, the feeling of adoration refused to abate despite all of his attempts to stifle it. He hadn't realized he was still in a battle stance and when he finally did relax so did she; fractionally. Aurora stepped closer, her expression uncertain as she watched Seth's face go from wild hatred, to shock and then finally to some sort of resolve. His mouth was set in a grim line, his eyes still dark and his shaggy hair was blowing over his face wildly in the breeze.

"I'm sorry if I startled you. Esme told me I should follow this path to find some wormwood. I didn't think anyone else would be here" Aurora's whispery tone only intensified the feelings swarming like unwanted ants in Seth's chest. He swallowed deeply and when he spoke his voice came out a tad harsher than he had expected.

"What are you doing out here alone? Are you completely insane? Finding me out here was a lucky break. What if it had been one of _them?_"

"_What _is it with you guys?" Aurora spoke quizzically, almost comically and moved to lay her bag and knife down on the remains of a fallen tree. She dropped her cloak to the ground with a swish before throwing a look over her bare, freckled shoulder. "I don't need a caretaker, nor do I want one. Besides, I thought you wanted nothing to do with me anyway. If something did get me here in the woods you would be off the hook" Rather than infuriate him her strength and courage gave him a newfound respect. She may be soft on the outside, resplendent in the flimsy lilac dress that dipped so low in the center Seth considered averting his eyes but there were obviously layers to her and the part of him that had imprinted on her longed to uncover them piece by piece. A fat purple crystal the size of a baby's fist dangled in the hollow of her breasts, hanging on a tied leather rope. Seth wished he hadn't come here, the he'd taken Jacob up on his offer to take the day off from patrols but of course he had to insist on staking the perimeter. The battle within was making him more irritable than he could ever remember feeling.

"Whatever. You want to risk your skin to go searching for some silly flower that's your prerogative" When did he suddenly turn into a surly teenager? Right now he pretty much hated every word coming out of his mouth.

"So I guess we won't be falling madly in love like all the other imprints than? And I was so hoping for a family of little puppies" Aurora responded with a spike of ice in her tone. The sarcasm dripping from every word was more than just an undertone. She blew out a breath and leaned up against the mossy rock wall. "Does everyone here hate me or do you and Phoenix have a private club?" Aurora cast her eyes skyward and watched an eagle soar across the treetops while trying not to cry. If this was to be her destiny as Piper had supposed than fate was obviously one cruel little bitch. Things had already been sliding downhill the day they'd arrived in Forks but last night's encounter with Phoenix had certainly put a cap on things.

"I don't hate you, Aurora. I couldn't if I tried" Seth replied quietly. He didn't quite know what to say and all he wanted was for her to stop being so sad. She lowered her gaze and saw that he was at least sincere about that. It was a comfort to know that at least one person didn't despise her. With Tristan going through a vampire transformation and Piper pulling further away, Aurora had been feeling incredibly alone these past days.

"...but you're angry with me for sleeping with Phoenix?"

"Yes...No...I'm not good at this kind of thing" Seth exploded. The truth was that he did feel angry, dejected but he couldn't quite figure out where he should put the blame. Maybe nobody was to blame. "There's a part of me that wants to come over there and make you forget you ever _heard_ the name Phoenix Cullen but I know if I succumb to that, I'll never be able to let go of you again"

"_Picture you're the queen of everything  
as far as the eye can see  
under your command  
I will be your guardian  
when all is crumbling  
to steady your hand"_

"So that's why you've been keeping your distance. I thought maybe, you might have been afraid of me or something" Seth laughed heartily at her well aimed reply. Aurora grinned despite herself and straightened the long leather rope that held her heirloom amethyst. It only then dawned on her that the drape neck, flimsy dress she was wearing left almost nothing to the imagination; poor Seth. Silently she cursed herself for choosing that particular item of clothing but she'd hoped that Phoenix would be hanging around as he usually was.

"I guess I'm more afraid of myself than I am of you. Nobody really knows all the rules about imprinting but when I look back on recent history it's hard not to be freaked. My sister got jilted by the man she loved all because when he began phasing he imprinted on someone else. I watched Jake turn to mush the moment Renesmee was born and we all know how that turned out. Then there's Embry; dear, sweet, I just wanna have fun Embry, my last pal in all of this. He fell for Samara and now all he wants to do is hang with her. He wouldn't even go hunting with me today. Apparently, he had something better to do"

"Well...I guess were both experiencing a little case of the lonelies nowadays" Aurora allowed the smile to spread across her face and completely forgot about everything that had been upsetting her. Something about Seth's very presence seemed to calm her. He had his hands shoved into the pockets of his baggy jean shorts and though his eyes never really seemed to directly face her she felt as if he was staring straight through her. She would have to remind herself later to ask someone about how the imprint affected the imprinted. Seth shifted and took a few cautious steps in her direction. She couldn't quite restrain the little giggle at his obvious reluctance. He was acting like a little boy on the playground afraid to get cooties. "I don't bite, Seth unless I'm asked" Seth's grin as he lifted his gaze to hers, finally, could have lit the forest up but there were shadows brewing in the depth of his dark eyes.

"I just need to know one thing and then maybe, just maybe I can let this go" It was difficult for Aurora to _not _find him adorable under normal circumstances but all of that had faded into the ether the moment they had first locked eyes. Now he was just sexy with his eyes full of smoke, his stance powerful and resilient.

"What...what is it?" Aurora sputtered. It seemed like the breath had been stolen from her lungs and just like Seth she found the feeling to be a little more than disconcerting. It unnerved her to be so close to him, to have him studying her with those eyes and know that some part of him wanted her in a way that no other man could. It was confusing and more than a little unnatural to feel the tugging sensation that was so similar to the one she felt when she was around Phoenix.

"_You can never say never  
when we don't know why  
Time and time again  
younger now then we were before  
Don't let me go, don't let me go, don't let me go, don't let me go"_

"Do you love him? If you do, if I know that you will truly be happy with him than that will be enough; it has to be enough" Seth clenched his fists against his sides as he spoke through clenched teeth. Who was he fooling? The closer he got to the wanton goddess before him the harder it was getting to believe that he _could _let her go. He knew he had to touch her just once to know for sure if he really would be able to leave her behind. Aurora stood still as a statue as he approached her slowly and she knew full well where all of this was going. He lifted a hand wordlessly and when he placed it on her neck, when she felt the pull strengthen she was no longer as sure of her love for Phoenix as she had been this morning. Confusion began to settle into her and it felt as if there were a war raging in her heart. Seth was leaning down, his face a mere breath away, and their lips only moments away from touching. It had to stop, this madness, before it consumed them all so Aurora did the only thing she knew herself capable of; she told him what he wanted to hear.

"I do love him, Seth" She watched his smoky eyes darken as he dropped his hand back to his side and lifted his eyes to the sky. Seth swallowed hard but couldn't quite dispel the lump that lay there like a stone. Wasn't that what he'd wanted to hear? And if it was then why did he feel like something inside him was being ripped away? Aurora saw the hurt boiling up in Seth's up drawn expression and cursed herself silently "You don't understand" she said grabbing his hand. Even that small amount of contact seemed so concentrated. A bounty of affection passed between them like the sparks of a lightning bolt. Aurora's eyes widened at the shocking flow of emotions she now felt. Seth looked down at their joined hands and then back into her eyes.

"Make me understand" He said with an edge of hostility in his tone. His eyes were on fire with just barely restrained fury. His whole body seemed to be quaking beneath the touch of her hand. It startled her so much that she let go of Seth's quivering arm and took a few careful steps back.

"I'm so confused, Seth. Do you get that? Being with you here, now, it wasn't a coincidence" she sighed deeply "The truth is I don't know for sure anymore what I want. I have strong feelings for you both and I don't know what that means for any of us"

"You're confused" he snorted loudly and shoved one of his hands into a pocket. The smile on his face was wry. Seth felt hope simmering just under the sting. She loved Phoenix, sure but maybe, just maybe she loved him too. As much as he wanted to deny it there was just no getting around the feelings he harboured for the fiery beauty before him. She had been literally _made _for him and Seth now knew that he would be unable to give that up without a fight. He took a few steps towards her once more closing the distance between them. Aurora backed up and found herself pinned between Seth's bulky physique and the flat face of a giant boulder. The proverbial rock and hard place brought to life. His hands were poised on either side of her and for the first time since she'd come across him in this spot Aurora felt a genuine flicker of fear. The warmth of his body, the suddenly cocky waves emanating from him were unnerving and exciting her all at the same time. "I can make you forget, Aurora. I can make you mine" Seth's words sent a shiver through her body and yet she was unable to tear her eyes from his. Her eyes fluttered and closed in anticipation as he leaned in. Seth's lips were soft, pliant as he touched them to hers. A waterfall of emotions all seemed to collapse atop them both as Seth coaxed her lips apart and Aurora was helpless but for the tiny sigh that escaped her lips before the embrace went deeper. Involuntarily, it seemed, her arms wound around his neck and his glided down to hold her hips. Aurora felt the warmth of his big hands grasping her, the stirring of his tongue gliding together with hers and could sense his utter joy. They slid together silkily for a moment with natures symphony playing around them. The roaring in her ears, however, had drowned everything else out. She couldn't deny that there was something between her and Phoenix but being locked now in Seth's strong arms made her wonder if being with him had really been her path. More confused now than she had been before Aurora broke the kiss and laid her forehead lightly against Seth's.

"_Don't let me go, don't let me go, don't let me go, don't let me go, don't let me go, don't let me go"_

* * *

Part 2 - Complications

Renesmee did not look well. It was Jacob's only thought as he watched her ashen face reflected in the rear view. They had only just decided to bring a baby into their lives when she had collapsed, fainting out into his arms. It had been alarming at the time but even more so now that he saw how truly sick she was. Kalika held a wet cloth to her forehead and threw Jacob a desperate look. Things were definitely not good.

"Is Carlisle answering?" Jacob asked sparing a glance at the phone wedged in its cradle. He knew the answer already. Carlisle hadn't been answering for the last ten minutes.

"I don't know why he would turn off his phone" Talan replied swerving just in time to miss a minivan on the road that would lead them back to the main house. "Edward told me they were having some kind of meeting, in the woods" The driver of the minivan blasted the horn. It went ignored.

"Why would they...shit" Jacob answered "Pull over" he demanded when he suddenly realized just who the meeting had been with and why the rest of them had not been invited. Renesmee and Kalika were both in danger if his notion was correct about the vampire he figured they were going to see.

"Jacob. We really need to get her to the house" Talan answered once more looking back into Kalika's frightened emerald eyes. They were both thinking the same thing. What if it were us, our baby that was in trouble?

"Pull over, Talan. I can find them. Just pull over and get Renesmee back to the house" Jacob cried desperate to get to the only person he knew would be able to help.

"No, Jake...please don't go" Renesmee begged weakly as she clutched her stomach in a way that made him cringe. He leaned over the seat as far as he was able to hold one of her limp, sweaty hands. "I'll be right back, baby. I promise. I'm just going to get Carlisle and then I'll meet you back at the house. You won't even know that I'm gone" She jerked in the seat suddenly seeming to be in a lot of pain. Her face twisted in anguish, her eyes dull and glassy. Jacob didn't want to leave her but he knew that this would be the quickest way to ensure that Carlisle would get there before something terrible happened. Talan swung the truck over to the side of a dirt path and Jacob got out. Before he took off into the woods, before the door could even slam behind him he heard his wife's strangled moan and knew he had to hurry. Phasing always came easier during stressful times and before he'd even fully entered the woods he was already running on four furry legs. The forest was a misty swamp of fog and dew making things a tad more slippery than he would have liked and washing away some of the scent trail that would lead him to Carlisle's location. Some part of him already knew where they would go to hold such a meeting and so in following his instincts he almost missed the quiet whiff of Bella's unique scent. It was coupled with Edward's so he knew now that he was indeed on the path they had taken to get to the barren field. He ran swiftly, scarcely feeling the snaps of twigs tearing into his skin as he went.

As he neared the place he had hoped to never see again he heard the raised voices from far away. He nearly howled when Edward's distinctive voice rang bell clear in his head.

_Jacob. What's happened?_

Edward's thoughts immediately invaded Jacob's cluttered mind. He was reading the worry from nearly an acre away.

_It's Nessie. Something is wrong. We need Carlisle, now_

Jacob returned putting as much urgency into the gathered thought as was possible. In a mere moment the majority of the Cullens were before him all of them looking as if they'd just been struck by a bomb. Something big was up. It was clear from the dark look in Bella's eyes but they would have to deal with that later.

"Jacob, what's the matter?" Carlisle asked clearly tense. Jacob could have phased back but then he would be facing a bunch of vampires completely naked so instead he chose to use Edward as his conduit. It would be faster anyway. He pawed the ground and howled heartily into the misty sky relaying the information silently to Edward.

"Is Timmy down the well again?" Rosalie piped up with her usual brand of wry, sarcastic humour.

"Quiet, Rose!" Edward commanded "It's Nessie" as he said it Bella grasped his arm as if she were holding onto a life raft. She would be able to hear his thoughts as well now.

_She got sick, really sick and then she just fainted. She's in pain, Edward, it's bad_

Bella's gasp alerted everyone that something truly _was _wrong.

_Where is she?_

_Up at the house. Hurry!_

Jacob didn't wait for the rest of them he just took off through the trees knowing they would all follow. His only thought now was how quickly he could get back to his girl and he ran with more purpose than ever. It seemed like an eternity before the familiar markings of the Cullen house became visible and when the driveway came into view he bounded up to the door phasing just in time to open it before crashing. He dashed inside grabbing someone's coat from a hook on the way up the stairs. He heard Renesmee moaning before he saw her. The sound tore at his heart like a clawing beast. Seeing her was worse, all balled up on the couch, her face a mask of pain and fear. Kalika sat on the floor holding her hand but quickly moved out of the way to make room for Jacob. Talan handed him a change of clothes that Jacob knew would be too big but he shoved them on anyway and tossed the coat aside. He crouched down next to Renesmee and grabbed her hand firmly into his.

"It's okay baby. It's going to be alright now. Carlisle is on his way" Jacob crooned leaning in to kiss her clammy forehead. Renesmee's skin was scorching, her cheeks flushed with a color he hadn't seen on her since she'd been a child.

"Ja...Jake. It hurts" she whimpered softly. She clutched her stomach in equal measures of protection and pain. If he listened hard enough he could hear the faint little heartbeat of their child and it was waning. Jacob knew she was hearing it too from the anguished expression in her eyes.

"What's taking them so long" Jacob wondered out loud trying to hide the alarm in his tone. Talan came to stand beside him touching a hand to Jacob's shoulder.

"Emmett just sent me a text. Edward went to the hospital with Carlisle to get some supplies. Everyone is on their way, Jake" It was only mildly comforting to hear but if Carlisle needing supplies meant things were obviously worse than he had thought. The baby was dying and what was more terrifying was the knowledge that Renesmee was too. Bella burst into the room with Jasper on her heels. He came forward to stand behind the couch and when the calming waves began to wash over her, Renesmee looked up with a thin smile. Jasper beamed down at her reassuringly. How he could be so positive Jacob would never know even if it was only an act.

"Hey, Nessie remember the last time you were sick?" Jasper asked with that same plastered on smile. His attempt to lighten things was at least settling the baby's heartbeat a little.

"Yeah" she smiled weakly up at him "You let me beat you at chess"

"Was I that obvious?" Jasper said in mock astonishment "We'll have to play again and this time I won't let you win"

"You know I'll never beat you" Renesmee wrinkled her nose and Jacob instantly felt a little better. She seemed to be feeling less pain and the baby's heartbeat had picked up.

"Thanks" Jacob mouthed to Jasper. Kalika stood in the corner of the room with her arms folded over her chest and a look of pure terror on her face. If this was happening to Renesmee, what could happen to her? This was uncharted territory for them all. She moved a hand down to hold her belly protectively suddenly scared for the little life that she was carrying. Talan's eyes met hers from across the room and she could tell from his expression that his thoughts had gone to the same place. He crossed the room towards her running a hand over her arm comfortingly. She leaned into him feeling his cool lips brush her temple.

"It's going to be okay" Talan's reassuring voice did nothing to quell the giant butterflies that had settled in.

"We can't know that. You were right earlier, what you said about Carlisle. We _do _have to make sure that I'm going to be alright" she closed her eyes "That everyone is going to be alright" when she opened them again her gaze was locked on Renesmee. She twitched again this time letting out a scream so horrific everyone in the room went into a panic. Talan took out his cell phone and sent a quick text.

_Move your asses or we're going to lose her_

He'd just barely sent it when Edward came streaking into the room. Esme and Carlisle came behind him carrying a couple of paramedic style bags.

"Did Rose and Emmett prepare the room?" Carlisle asked

"They just texted me. It's ready" Talan replied uneasily. He was sorry for feeling glad that it wasn't Kalika writhing on the couch in desperate need of medical attention she may or may not be able to receive.

"Let's get her downstairs" Carlisle directed with a forced grin for his granddaughter. Jacob lifted her easily and Kalika watched as Renesmee hung limply from his arms, her lips quivering. Talan stepped over briefly to grab Carlisle by the arm.

"When it's over...when Ness is okay" he amended "Please make sure Kalika is going to be alright too"

"Of course" Carlisle replied with a thin smile and quiet tones.

Everyone seemed to follow into the sterile room Carlisle kept just in case. Rose and Alice stood just outside with Emmett holding open the heavy door for Jacob to carry Renesmee in. Rosalie's face simply dropped the moment she saw Renesmee's limp form. When the door was closed it was only an instant before she rounded on Talan. Rose was like a woman possessed. She pinned him effectively to the wall and sneered into his face.

"If anything like that happens to my little girl it'll be on you" she hissed shrugging off Emmett's restraining arm. Talan merely looked into her eyes with the same terror he saw reflected in her wide, glistening eyes.

"I know"

Kalika picked her phone out of her pocket and dialled the only person she had ever truly been able to count on no matter what.

* * *

Part 3 - Things Left Unsaid

Samara felt Embry's warm hand envelope her own and couldn't help but smile. He was trying so hard to take things slow but today would be the day she vowed silently to herself. With a little help from Leah's choice of outfits and some gentle prodding he wouldn't be able to help himself.

"Where are we going?" Samara asked her voice dripping with bubbly curiosity. Embry had shown up at the Clearwater's all but begging her to come with him. It had been the first night that they'd spent any time apart since he'd confessed his love for her. Maybe it was just the incentive she needed to get him to come around to her way of thinking. Sure she had been hasty that day in the woods when she'd begged him to take her on a fallen log but now she was completely settled in her choice. Today there were no huge worries to plague them, no craziness to make her want to rush things; just the quiet warmth of Embry's palm against hers.

"My place" he replied nervously. Maybe she wouldn't have to seduce him after all. Samara pranced ahead of him a few lithe steps and tugged on his hand pulling him into her. She nuzzled her face into Embry's neck taking in the spicy earthen scent of him; all man and twice as potent.

"Why are we going to your place? We could have just hung out at Leah's" Samara asked, coyly digging for some ounce of knowledge about what this whole day was about.

"You'll find out soon enough" he replied nervously and stopped to encircle her in a hug so strong she wondered if her bones might crack.

"I missed you" she whispered as Embry's powerfully built arms encircled her.

"Last night was pure torture. Never leave me again" he lightly kissed her temple.

"Is that why were going to your place?" Samara asked casting her perfectly made up eyes up to see his sweet face. "I'm all for ending the torture, if you know what I mean" she bit her bottom lip in a way that made Embry think of one thing and one thing only. A night away from her had made him wonder just what he was waiting for. She wanted him; he definitely wanted her now all that was left was to plan the perfect getaway. He wanted everything to be right when they made love for the first time; he needed it to be an experience they would both always treasure.

"Not exactly" he said with regret lacing his words and began to lead her through the trees. His house wasn't far from Leah's and he hoped she wouldn't be too disappointed that today's foray didn't have sex on the itinerary. There were so many things she had yet to learn about him, so many things he'd yet to show her in their short time together. There would be training later, tactical meetings and the like in the evening but for today everyone had been given a pass and Embry intended to use that to his advantage. He could feel her staring at him as the familiar markings of home began to come into view. Samara was clearly curious but in her usually quiet fashion said nothing about his odd behaviour. Still holding her hand firm in his he led her onto a gravel path and through the overgrown brush. Samara saw the modest little blue house come into view with its pretty white shutters and keenly took notice of the fact that there was no car in the driveway.

"Where's your mom?" she asked trying once more to be coy but falling from her lips the words only sounded kind of odd.

"She's at work grabbing a few overtime hours. They have a huge group in from Canada at the lodge this weekend"

"Ahhh" Samara sighed and began to wonder if things between them would ever stop being this awkward. Were relationships really supposed to be like this? She suddenly felt a little uncomfortable and the way Leah's shirt clung to her certainly didn't help matters. It itched in places that would be rather uncouth for her to scratch and Samara began to regret allowing Leah to play dress-the-vampire.

"Something wrong?" Embry asked with one eyebrow raised comically as Samara shifted her shoulder in an attempt to scratch the building itch.

"No" she lied through clenched teeth "I'm fine. Now what did you so desperately want to show me?"

"Well it's not exactly something to show you...yet. More like something I need you for" Embry said and Samara's thoughts took a turn.

_What could he possibly need me for? _She thought darkly to herself as visions of him asking her to help him move his couch or astral project onto a baseball field somewhere to keep track of the score danced through her mind. He opened the door for her and she let go of his hand. Embry stood on the staircase that was just inside the entryway still looking oddly nervous. Samara shrugged her shoulders again cringing when the lacy fabric rubbed her in the wrong place.

"Okay, Sammy really what's the matter. You keep squirming like that and you're going to put something out"

"It's just this stupid shirt. Leah made me wear it because she said it was a sure fire way to seduce you and now I'm standing here wondering if I might be allergic to werewolf or something which would be terrible because than I'd be allergic to you and then we could never..."

"Shhh" Embry said laying one finger over her lips to quiet the random outburst that had seemingly come from nowhere. Carefully, he slid the zipper of her overcoat down keeping his eyes on hers. His grin was devastating. If Leah picked it out it would probably be ostentatious and most likely cover about 1/8th of Samara's skin so he thought it best to keep his gaze up. Gently he pushed the coat over her shoulders and lifted it to hang it over the banister. "It doesn't matter anyway. For what you'll be doing, you won't need a shirt" Embry turned with one last cocky smirk and headed up the stairs leaving Samara bewildered and suddenly turned on all at the same time. After the initial shock passed she followed him up to a small alcove room that must normally be used for storage. Various boxes and trunks sat over in the corner along with things that Embry must have used as a child. A stool sat in the center of the room next to a small table that held a myriad of art supplies neatly placed and separated into glass jars. There was an iron bed placed diagonally across the high window draped with an ivory blanket. Embry went around the room with an air of purpose as he adjusted the blanket before plucking a red rose out of the vase bursting with them and ripping the top right off.

Positive that he would soon tell her what the big plan was or possibly, she thought in delight he would show her. She paced over to the little table wedged into the corner and saw a scattered stack of papers that stole the breath from her lungs. Delicately, as if it might crumble, Samara picked one of them up staring in awe at the image that had been drawn in charcoal. It was her face staring back at her, Embry's hand on her cheek with the waterfall setting the scene in the background. It was from the first time she'd projected and taken Embry with her. Samara picked through the others seeing dozens of other sketches done in various mediums. There was a drawing of Jacob in his wolf form looking powerful, regal and merciful all at once. Another sketch, this one of the house he'd helped Jake to build was propped up onto a tabletop easel. He'd added Renesmee and Jacob leaning together in the huge tree beside the house dressed as they had been on their wedding night, staring into one another's eyes as if nothing else could ever matter. It was so beautiful, such an amazing tribute to the love that would remain legend for some time to come. Samara whirled and found Embry already directly behind her.

"So...now you know my secret. Nobody else except my mother has ever seen my work, until today" Embry scratched his head too nervous to really look her in the eye.

"You drew this? You did all of this?" Samara whispered breathily her eyes wide and glistening.

"Yeah" Embry nodded and couldn't quite tell if she was pleased or just stalling to find a nice way to tell him that his work was terrible. A girl with her knowledge and means was probably used to seeing pieces from the very best of artists. His work must seem paltry in comparison.

"I never knew..." Samara's words faltered as she fingered the edge of an animated sketch of her and Kalika in action together the night they'd had to subdue Talan and Jacob. She brushed it lightly over a series of sketches he'd done of her, none of them completed. There were no words to describe how beautiful his art was, the wonder in an expression, the beauty of a new beginning reflected atop the little wooden easel. "You're an artist" her breathy statement was more than Embry could have ever hoped for and he couldn't quite keep the grin from spreading across his face. "Why have you never shown this to anyone? They're all so beautiful especially this one. Oh, Embry you have to show them. This is what we see when we look at Renesmee and Jake; how completely enamoured they are with each other"

"I was thinking about framing it. Sort of a belated wedding present" Embry shrugged and picked up a fresh sketchpad tucking it under his arm "Those are just studies from memory. Not very good at all" he gestured to the unfinished sketches of herself Samara was holding.

"They're lovely. I didn't know I was this pretty" she returned staring in awe at the first sketch she'd picked up.

"Never, you could never simply be pretty Sammy. You're exquisite, my angel" Embry brushed a hand over her hair and leaned in for a quick kiss. It was all so normal, so right that Samara stopped feeling so awkward. "I want to draw you as_ I_ see you. Will you let me" He sounded so sweetly nervous she couldn't help but throw in a tease.

"Naked?" Samara drawled the word out slowly with a not so angelic smile and watched Embry's eyes go dark. Obviously it was a prospect that didn't exactly displease him. Samara figured she'd already come this far and the shirt was itching her like crazy so why not take things up a notch. She popped the top hook of the corset keeping her eyes locked on his and her lips curved wickedly. Embry reached up with his free hand to stop her but before he could even touch her she had dashed across the room. He was helpless but to watch her now, saw her breasts peeking out from the slightly unbuttoned top. Her smile was devastating as she turned to face the wall and to his utter shock raised her arms and let the flimsy fabric fall to the floor. Samara glanced over her shoulder with a wink that was equal parts cocky and totally sexy. His choked gasp escaped before he could stop it. With her hair spiked out in all directions drawing the sunlight, her eyes shining that vibrant green and all that creamy skin Embry couldn't help but be drawn in. He crossed the room slowly while she watched him; the temptress clad only in snug jeans. It would never cease to amaze him how she could go from angelic, innocent with just just a touch of clumsiness to alluring and irresistible in a finger snap.

Samara felt his arms come around her waist, felt the heat of his body against hers. They swayed a little as Samara brought her arms up to hook them around Embry's neck. He leaned in to place a hot kiss just behind her ear. She closed her eyes to better relish the sensation of his touch, the scent of him, and just the sheer beauty of the moment. His lips marked a trail up over the hollow of her neck until he had coaxed her lips apart. She turned into him, suddenly a little freaked out about her unclad breasts. She moved her hands in an attempt to cover them and felt Embry push them away. Instead he covered them with his own palms, gently as if she might simply break under his touch. Samara's sigh was languid and the whispery purr went straight through him like an earthquake but twice as devastating. If he kept touching her, just like this, things were bound to escalate.

Embry quickly grabbed a sheet from the bedside table deftly wrapping and turning her until he had fashioned a sort of draping blanket over her. This time when she looked at him there was no soft and dewy affection, no innocent little winks but pure livid fury. Her lips were set in a pout, her eyes narrowed and darker than usual. It was more than he'd ever hoped for. He regretted having to piss her off so much but it was that face he wanted, that boundless expression that she rarely ever wore. He wanted the wicked little fairy he'd seen in the moonlit forest. She started to speak but Embry hushed her with a finger atop her pearly painted lips. He wondered if she might simply bite it off in anger.

"Lay down, Sammy" he commanded with a cocky grin and a light push. She did as he asked and allowed herself to fall down to the downy coverlet covered in fragrant petals. The scent of them, the silky feeling of being nearly bathed in roses made her feel decadent somehow. The only thing that could make things better right then would be if Embry would finally succumb and let go of the silly notion that she somehow, deserved something better. Pouting her lips in frustration she crossed her arms over her chest and refused to turn her eyes to him.

"I'm not going to pose for you" Samara said tritely. His laugh startled her and somehow only made her angrier. She heard the scratch of a pencil across paper and finally did look over in his direction to see Embry already concentrating on the fresh white sheet of paper clipped to the large wooden easel. He kept his eyes on the paper, his hand moving steadily over it in long strokes coupled with quicker ones.

"I don't want you to pose" he returned absently and turned in his stool to reach for a thick piece of charcoal. His brows were knit in concentration, his mouth turned down on one side as he drew. Now and then he would rub his thumb over the paper. Samara wished that he was rubbing his thumb over her, that it was her flesh he was using as his canvas but that was apparently being put on the back burner today. Samara sighed heavily and shifted her weight to her side. The earlier awkwardness she'd felt began to creep out from behind the depths of her mind and she realized that, mostly, the feelings were because of the fact that she essentially knew very little about Embry. His life, his passions, his dreams were all foreign to her. The only thing she knew for certain was that he loved her and though that was wonder enough there were things that a woman needed to know before she let herself fall completely for a man, weren't there?

"So, now that I know about your art, tell me, what other secrets are you keeping?" Samara asked keenly. Embry grunted first and then cleared his throat.

"That's pretty much it. Put your arm over your head" he said still focused on the drawing. Samara lifted her arm and pillowed her head on it as he'd asked and rolled her eyes at his noncommittal response.

"What does your mom do at the lodge?" she asked hoping that a simple line of questioning would get him comfortable enough for her to get in to the bigger issues. She could simply project into his mind and get the answers she craved but that would just be wrong, even for her.

"Oh, she's a hostess. She checks people in, takes calls. That sort of thing" Embry peered over at her from under his long black lashes for a moment and then went back to his work.

"Does your dad work there too?" Samara's innocently spoken question seemed to catch Embry a little off guard and the charcoal stick, nearly worn to the nub, fumbled and fell from his fingers. He turned towards her now his expression colder than usual.

"I never knew my father, Sammy" There was anger in his tone but beneath it the hurt was more evident than Samara figured he knew. "Mom told me that he was just some guy that came to the lodge, a onetime thing and then he was gone but..." Embry ran a hand through the hair he'd allowed to get shaggy as his voice trailed away.

"But?" she questioned. Samara was trying desperately not to push too hard but it was obviously a sour point in his life and if she could, she wanted to help him.

"It's bullshit. My mother has been lying to me for as long as I can remember" Embry stood, instantly losing all of his desire to finish the drawing. The past had always been a thorn in his side but it was the not _knowing _that had always plagued him. He sat beside her on the bed and she shifted so that he could have more space. He leaned up against the iron rungs with his arms crossed. "I can't believe you don't know this. Didn't you get all of my dirty little past when you took a stroll through my mind?"

"I didn't go that deep, Embry. I just peeked. Please tell me" she said bringing herself to a half sitting position beside him and leaning her head against his arm. Samara frowned, cursing herself for once more sticking her foot into her mouth. Now she'd gone and made him angry.

"I never really knew about it until I started phasing. I had heard the whispers before but when I heard the thoughts of the pack for the first time someone, probably Sam was thinking about whether or not I knew that my father was really one of the Quileute elders"

Samara's mouth formed an O and she quickly suppressed the gasp rising up in her throat. Embry's eyes closed in shame; his frown was marked so deep into his expression she wanted to curse someone, anyone for the misery he'd been put through from pack gossip. Samara laid her hand on his cheek and stroked a finger up to coax his eyes open. When his eyes did come open they were flat, cold as ice. It was obvious to Samara that anger was just easier for him to handle than the pain of not knowing. His lips parted a little as he figured he had already told her this much, why not empty out the rest?

"Over the next few weeks of listening I found out that my father could be either Sam's dad, old Quil or Billy. Jacob was just as unhappy as I was to figure _that _out" Embry finished sarcastically.

"Have you asked your mom about it?" Samara plied gently. If he wanted the answers she would get them for him even if it meant breaking her own rules and invading the mind of the unwilling. She could make Embry's mother tell him with a mere, well placed thought.

"Yeah. She got real quiet for a minute and then blurted out the same old story; my father was a drifter, a hunter just passing through. She told me not to listen to the gossip" Embry replied.

"I can find out if she's telling the truth" Samara offered already knowing what the answer would be. He simply wasn't ready to face the demons in his past. She instantly felt bad and that's when the rambling started up again. "I'm sorry. I just want to help you and that would be wrong. I know it would but I thought maybe..." her words were once again smothered by his lips crashing down on hers. Embry seemed charged now, his guard was down and when he coaxed her lips apart, when his tongue dipped in to glide over hers, she knew he was only trying to staunch the grief. It was hard to find the consternation to care when his hands went to work loosening the sheet he'd wrapped her in. He growled and gave a frustrated yank when he found the fabric too tightly wrapped. He would curse himself silly for that later. The sheet ripped down the front revealing the flesh he hadn't known she'd exposed. Her body was naked, completely devoid of anything besides a scant scrap of black lace that passed for panties. How she had managed to wriggle out of those tight jeans without his notice he cared not. He needed an outlet for the anger, a place to bury the pain and what better place than with the woman he loved. Samara was his light in the dark, had been like a beacon shining down from the very first time he'd seen her. She was willing and he wanted her so why the hell not?

The little grin returned to his face much to Samara's delight and she watched his darkened eyes drink her in, saw his surprise at her state of undress and grinned herself. There was a pinch of fear, an iota of apprehension and besides that her conscience was screaming that somehow, this just wasn't right. Her mind may have been screaming no, but her heart and her body were definitely winning this war. Abandoning her better sense she grabbed a handful of Embry's shirt and pulled him atop her. Her hands worked like lightning, deftly pulling his shirt over his head. His eyes softened just a little as he leaned down and Samara could feel the wrought muscles under her hands relax as her fingers danced down his chest. Lust punched through her like a well aimed bullet from the moment his lips first brushed hers. The feeling was electric like an all consuming blaze of lightning. Embry's body slid over hers, his hands running a trail up over her curves. Every place he touched, every inch of skin felt as if it were truly on fire. His fingers gripped her hips, toyed with the strings holding her underwear together. He broke the kiss and shifted so that he could watch her. Embry needed to see her and saw that her eyes had gone bright, almost surreal with desire. He leaned down and used the tip of his tongue to tease her tiny budded nipple. Her gasp of pleasure was a thrill, the feel of her body sliding up instinctually to mate with his made him go, instantly, stone hard. Her fingers ran desperately through his thick hair, nails digging in when he used his hand to grasp her other breast.

Samara bowed up once more feeling the pull inside, the desperation to, finally be his. With one deft hand she popped the button on his shorts and slid the zipper down. Embry's lips were tracing a path over her shoulder and back up to her firm lips. The kiss grew deep as he shrugged out of his jeans and threw them, without ceremony, to the carpet. They rolled together over the eyelet comforter with the smell of roses scenting the air. There were no other noises but their sighs and gasps. Samara felt Embry's soft fingers brushing over her belly button, down to the strings of the underwear she'd picked out of the closet drawer for specifically this purpose and moaned in surprise when he used his thumb to rub her sensitive little nub exactly as she'd wanted him to when he was drawing. She bit her lip as his finger went under the lace. Embry could have groaned himself when he found her already damp and hot under his touch. Delving his finger under the lace he slipped it inside the warm folds feeling how tense and tight she was. It was a wonder he didn't simply grab her and bury himself in a mad race to the finish. Her moans filled his ears and coupled with his own when he felt her long fingers close over his length. When the little phone Samara had set on the nightstand had first begun to buzz Embry thought he might be hearing things but when she let out a frustrated cry he knew that their little interlude was over.

"Let it go to voice mail" Embry whispered kissing her neck.

"I can't" Samara moaned "I told Kali to only call if it was an emergency" She fumbled out her hand to reach for the phone and brought it up to her ear "This had better be good Kalika" she answered. Embry watched as her expression quickly shifted from annoyance to cold fear. Her eyes had gone hard and when they came up to meet Embry's worried gaze he heard something that made his blood go chilly.

"Are they okay?"


	13. Death is Only the Beginning

**A/N: I love this chapter. So much of how I write the situations these characters go through comes from experiences I have had in my own life. I have three beautiful children and they are sincerely my entire world. I love them fiercely, implicitly, and without reservation. As much as I love them I am reminded daily of the two little ones who are no longer with us. Miscarrying our twins was quite possibly the worst experience my husband and I have ever had to endure but we got through it. I try to remind myself that if they had been born then I wouldn't have my two sweet little boys and though it is only a small comfort, it's enough. In short everything happens for a reason and sometimes even the darkest cloud can have a silver lining. I dedicate this chapter to my sweet Samara and Kalika. My angels.  
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**To my avid readers: Thanks for the reviews and for sticking with me through busy times, rushed chapters, twists and turns and those long weeks when my muse decides to go on vacation ;)**

**Enjoy and please take a moment to review. Where do you think the story is going? Who would you ultimately like to be the victor of Aurora's heart? Let me know! I love feedback.  
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Chapter 13 – Death is Only the Beginning

Renesmee felt herself being laid down onto a hospital grade bed. The whole room was white and sterile just as it had been years before when she'd been here; of course than it had been for much different reasons. Now, her only thought was for the baby. Jacob stayed beside her while Carlisle floated about the room taking things out of a bags and setting up what looked like a small machine.

"This is a portable ultrasound machine. It should give us a clearer picture of what's going on in there" Carlisle said trying to act jovial to bring some sense of normalcy to the room. Renesmee tried to pretend that this was just a routine thing, just a normal pregnancy and they were about to get their first glimpse at their little baby. The pain struck like knives, sudden and excruciating. It felt as though she were being ripped in half and if she lost this baby that's exactly what it would be like. Carlisle took the little tube of gel from Esme and squirted it onto Renesmee's paining belly. They all seemed to be watching with baited breath as he moved a small wand around.

"There's your baby" he finally announced pointing to the miniscule curled up form. Renesmee saw its little hands jolt and felt Jacob's hand brush over her hair. If she had been able to tear her gaze away from the little viewing screen she was sure she would see the same wonder reflected in Jacob's.

"Can you see what the problem is?" Jacob asked not quite able to hide the trepidation in his voice.

"The baby is in distress. His heartbeat is weak" Carlisle said. He was trying to be as clinical as he possibly could but when it was family things were different. His spirits had sunk when he'd seen that the child was, indeed, a boy. This baby could be the child from Aro's prophecy.

"It's a boy" Renesmee asked incredulously as she peered at the monitor.

"Yes" Carlisle smiled thinly but inside there was a turmoil he had to hide from his granddaughter but not from Jacob. "Can we go outside for a moment?" he gestured and though he didn't want to leave Renesmee, he knew she wouldn't be alone. Bella immediately moved to the spot he had vacated as he and Carlisle went out by the door. With one scathing look he managed to send the others away. Rosalie and Talan seemed to be having a disagreement of some sort. Kalika clung to Alice's arm as they went up the staircase. When the door was closed behind them Jacob turned and waited. He knew from the look on Carlisle's face that something wasn't right.

"The baby is fine. There are no tears in the placenta, no problems with the umbilical cord. Everything looks as it should with a pregnancy in this stage" Carlisle began.

"But?" Jacob replied. There was something wrong and Jacob could only hope that it was fixable.

"The fever, the pain that Renesmee is experiencing...it all suggests that her body, especially after what she went through a few years back, is rejecting the pregnancy as if it were a virus"

"So how do we fix it?" Jacob asked letting all of his desperation and worry finally broach the surface. "Wait. What did she go through a few years back?" Carlisle set his lips in thoughtful concentration.

"We don't know a whole lot about half-breeds, Jacob and so it was a shock when, two years ago, both Renesmee and Phoenix became very ill. We thought we were losing them and there were simply no answers available to us. Renesmee's heart slowed to a near crawl while Phoenix's stopped completely. He died, so to speak and we all figured Renesmee would follow. A few hours later Phoenix awoke but he wasn't the same as before. He was reborn a vampire, completely. Renesmee's condition remained stable and so she kept some of her human traits. Kalika and Samara were never affected" Carlisle's explanation left Jacob a little short for words. Why hadn't she told him?

"What does this mean for the baby, Carlisle, for Renesmee?"

"It means that while she is almost completely a vampire the boy is most likely very human, probably with your Quileute characteristics. It explains the fever. Her body simply may not be capable of handling this kind of pregnancy. I believe that if we don't do something, we will most certainly lose them both but there's something else you should know, Jacob" Hearing that his wife could die turned his heart to ice. How could there be more?

"What is it Carlisle? We should be in there, you should be in there" Jacob cried running a hand through the dark spikes. This was simply way too much to handle in such a short time. Edward opened the heavy door and came to stand beside Carlisle. Something was definitely afoot and it had everything to do with the meeting they had just come from.

"You've a right to be worried, Jake" Edward said. Jacob wondered if Edward was reading his thoughts or just could see it written all over his face.

"Yes, well we have to tell him Edward. He deserves to know" Carlisle answered and Jacob could feel the quickness of the anger boiling up in him. Everyone seemed to be talking around him instead of at him.

"Tell me, NOW!" he roared feeling the walls shiver around him. Carlisle's eyes widened for a moment before the weighty sigh escaped.

"Of course. We met with Aro today. He had something he thought we should see" he began glancing back and forth between Edward and Jacob.

"and you believe a word that came out of his blood sucking mouth" Jacob sneered.

"It was a prophecy really; the Volturi seer foresaw a merging of the DNA between a Quileute wolf and one of our own. We believe that yours and Renesmee's son is to be that child" Carlisle clasped his ever restless hands at his waist and waited for Jacob to digest what he'd just been told.

"If that happens, if this child is born he will have the capacity for great evil. It's only for him to fall into the wrong hands and, well, we have a choice to make" Edward added saying the things that his surrogate father had been unable to say. Carlisle nodded sadly and it was only then that the growl ripped free from Jacob's throat.

"_We _have a choice to make" Jacob began acid dripping from his tone "Are you seriously trying to get my permission to let the baby die, Cullen? Do you have _any _idea what that would do to your daughter. Fuck, Carlisle, she could die with him. I don't care if this kid is set to be the next Satan, you will save him and you will damn well save my wife" he snarled when Edward moved forward.

"She's _my_ daughter" he yelled in frustration "Do you think it's any easier for me?" he blew out the heavy breath of air he'd held and cast his eyes up to the ceiling "We can't be selfish here, Jacob. There is a bigger picture to consider" Edward countered coming face to face with his once rival. Jacob's eyes narrowed and for a moment Edward thought he saw them shift into the eyes of a wolf. Those golden brown orbs glared back at him in disgust and anguish.

"Do you want to see _my _bigger picture, leech?" His fist came up almost dangerously close to striking before Jacob felt his arm being pulled back. Talan was behind him now as if he'd appeared out of thin air.

"This isn't helping" Carlisle's teeth were clenched together; his voice was perturbed and calm all at once. He nodded to Talan conveying something silently with one look "Edward, take the others and go upstairs with Talan. This is between me and Jacob"

"I'll go but you know what needs to happen here. It's a mistake to let this child be born" Edward said heading for the door to grab Bella's hand. Obviously, the room wasn't soundproof to vampires. Her glaring eyes said it all as she shook off Edward's hand.

"Really, have you learned anything?" Bella raged pushing her hand into Edward's stony chest. Her angry shove sent him flying backward into the wall and all Edward could do was watch as his wife shut the heavy door behind her as she went back to their daughter. He wished that he could hear her thoughts but she was blocking him. He could hear the fear in Jacob's mind, the same fear he knew almost too well. He had, after all, already been through this with Bella and maybe now all that was left was to hope for the best.

"It's your choice to make. I just hope you make the right one for all of our sakes" Edward said. With apology burning in his glimmering eyes he stood back against the wall.

Jacob nodded at Edward, silently accepting the request for forgiveness. He looked back just as Carlisle took something out of the white coat he had donned in the little room. It was a vial of clear liquid.

"This would stop the contractions if Renesmee were a normal human woman in pre-term labour" Carlisle explained taking a syringe out of his other pocket and turning the bottle upside down. Jacob watched as the liquid pooled in through the needle and into the tube. Bella opened the door quickly and shot them both a look that turned Jacob's veins to ice. He heard the dull thud of Renesmee's heart slowing to a near crawl and could barely even hear the baby's heartbeat anymore. Time was running out.

"I don't care how you do it. Just get that into her" Jacob replied vehemently. Bella nodded and crossed her arms over her chest.

"It's possible that the pregnancy has awakened some of Renesmee's more human characteristics. It may be possible for me to get this into her vein. The question is not whether I can do it or not, it's whether I _should _do it"

"Carlisle, you must" Bella exclaimed gesturing emphatically with her hands knowing they needed to hurry "There is another side to the prophecy, you read it as well as I. First of all, there is no proof that this is actually the child from the prophecy and secondly, if he is than we can change his destiny. Miracles do happen. My miracle, our miracle is lying in that bed and she's dying" she pleaded with her eyes shooting daggers into her husband's. It was obvious that they were on opposite sides of this debate. It was just like old times. The door had been left open to the sterile, white room and Jacob could hear his wife crying out his name. Carlisle stiffened as well as the rest of them when he heard or rather didn't hear the sound of a fluttering heart. The baby was in dire trouble now and nobody seemed to want to move.

"Save her" Edward said through clenched teeth. There was such a crushing sadness in his eyes.

"Do something, Carlisle. Please save her" Bella's plea echoed with Renesmee's cries and Jacob realized that if nobody else would act than he would have to. As swiftly as he could he brushed past Carlisle, grabbing the syringe out of his hands and dashing into the room before he could be stopped. Nobody would stop him from saving his sweet girl. Images of their lives together flashed before his eyes as he saw her lying in the bed looking almost grey in the harsh light. Her eyes were closed and her moans had quieted. She was going to die along with the life they had created and Jacob simply would not let them go. He plunged the needle down before anyone could stop him and pushed the liquid, to his surprise, straight into her flesh. The needle hadn't just grazed her skin, or broken off but had gone in as if her skin were that of a human. It was just as Carlisle had suspected. The Quileute characteristics of the baby were changing her, making her human enough to bear the pregnancy. How could something like that be evil? It was simply impossible. Jacob waited for any sign of life and when there wasn't one, when there was only Renesmee's slow heart hammering out its usual slow thud he fell to his knees beside his wife and nuzzled his face into her stomach. He held her limp hand in his own and splayed his other over the slight bump of her belly. There was no sign of life under his palm and besides his own quick beating heart there were no other noises. Jacob wondered how a day filled with such joy could so easily and quickly go to hell. Anger was easy. He could be angry with Edward, with Carlisle for trying to make him choose and for delaying the medicine that might have helped but for right now there was so much pain in his heart it was difficult to bear any other emotion. It had been a long time since Jacob had cried and when the tears began to pool in his eyes he barely registered the sounds of the others coming in to the room. Carlisle laid his fingers on Renesmee's throat. He looked at the gold watch on his wrist counting the beats.

"Her pulse is a little faster than normal but she'll be okay" he said solemnly and stepped back when the sound of Jacob's whimper filled the room. He clung to Renesmee's hand as if it were a life raft.

"Is the baby okay, Carlisle?" Bella asked with the sick realization that when her daughter awoke she may just have to tell her that her child was gone. She strained to hear a sign of life, even a faint little beat would suffice but all Bella could hear was Renesmee's heart beating more rapidly than it had in years.

"You can hear as well as I, Bella. There is no heartbeat" Carlisle's words finally penetrated and Jacob had to believe them to be truth. The anger rose up over the sadness. It was so much easier to be enraged then upset. He was sick, just sick of all the drama, all the pain that never seemed to cease. The roaring in his ears ceased so abruptly that when all of the sounds around him snapped back, when the voices of everyone's chatter rose around him, Jacob simply couldn't deal with it any longer. He rose to his full menacing height crushing his fists together at his sides.

"Get out!" The growl was more primal than normal and for a moment he thought that he might just phase on the spot and take them all out. Carlisle nodded and left the room grabbing onto Edward's arm as he went. The anguish in his eyes did nothing to quell the burning rage boiling like lava in Jacob's gut. Bella took a cautious step forward reaching out one manicured hand in what he knew was a gesture of kindness, of sympathy but his primal side was taking over. Jacob cast his eyes downward and shrugged away from her touch. "Just go, Bells. I need to be alone with her. To tell her myself" It was the last thread of calm he had left in him and when Bella closed the door with a quiet click behind her Jacob simply crumbled back down to Renesmee's side. He lay down with her on the sterile bed taking her limp form into his arms easily.

He felt her stirring and saw her long eyelashes flutter. The turmoil inside was threatening to implode him, the feeling too stifling. He would have to tell her now. When she woke he would have to tell her that their child, their son was gone before they ever got a chance to know him.

"Ja...Jake" Renesmee mumbled. Her dark tresses fell in perfect curls over his arm as she lifted her head to peer at him meekly. He tried to plaster on a smile but it faltered and she could already sense that something was wrong. In her familiar way she showed him the last thing she remembered. It was the image of their child curled up and still moving on the sonogram machine. Jacob tried to pull away before she caught the images of what had gone down after that. She didn't need to see the downward spiral but his attempts were unsuccessful and he watched as her expression turned to horror. Her hand automatically clutched the little bump; her eyes were flooded with tears streaking a red path over her porcelain cheeks. It was heart breaking to watch and even more heartbreaking for Jacob to feel it with her. His own tears mixed with hers in a salty pool as he held her cheek against his. They didn't need words to express the torment of losing something so precious and for a long while neither of them spoke. Jacob peered down at Renesmee's hand still splayed over her belly, over their child's tomb and lifted his own to join them together. It was their unity that would have to get them through this latest misfortune.

Holding her like this with his palm over her softened stomach was only making things worse but just as he was about to move his hand Renesmee jerked slightly. Her eyes went wide and her lips formed a surprised "O"

"What is it? Are you in pain, Ness? I'll go get Carlisle" Jacob said with a heavy sigh. He had already lost a child and now he refused to lose her too.

"No!" Renesmee exclaimed sounding terrifyingly giddy through her tears. With renewed vigour she grasped his hand tightly and moved it over to the side of her belly. "Just wait" she said sensing Jacob's trepidation. Renesmee felt it then, the little nudge from within and as she watched Jacob she knew that he had felt it too. His eyes were incredulous and must have been just as wide as hers with astonishment.

"He's alive, Jake. Our son is alive"


	14. The Games That Play Us

Chapter 14 – The Games That Play Us

Phoenix sat in the not so comfortable office chair with one leg propped up on the foot of his old bed. His body was still as a statue. All but the tips of his fingers were motionless. In them he turned an old carved onyx over and over. Through the years it had become polished from Phoenix's constant handling. It had been his mother's, his biological mother's pendant. Alice had collected it at the time of his birth. When he'd grown old enough Alice had given it back to him secretly both of them knowing that Rose would not appreciate the gesture. At first Phoenix had discarded it, left it in the drawer of the battered desk but as the years wore on he began the custom of taking it out whenever something was truly plaguing him. It was eerily quiet in the little room above the garage. He'd chosen to make the little space his own mostly due to the solitude but everyone else believed it was simply to be closer to the bevy of vehicles in the huge garage. While it was true that he had inherited his mother's love for tinkering with them the truth was that he just preferred to be alone. Nobody bothered him here and he didn't have to endure the chaos up at the main house. The cars had lain dormant and as much as he appreciated the silence it was always nice to hear the distraction of an engine roaring to life. Deftly he swung around in the creaky chair and laid the stone on top of the worn desk. Phoenix ran a hand through his still windblown hair. He'd spent the majority of the afternoon searching for Aurora to no avail. He hadn't been able to pick up her scent. Just as well he thought to himself as he reflected back on this morning's events. He was still angry with himself for not being in control, for taking her like a mad beast and finally, for letting her go. No matter how bad he knew his presence was in her life there was a part of him that just didn't care. It was that persona that had overridden his better sense last night and it simply refused to wither within him. There was still a sliver of hope that he couldn't squash. Maybe, just maybe they could find a way to be together. He sighed and rubbed at his face in frustration.

"What are you moping about?" Kalika's voice broke through the silence. Phoenix didn't even bother to wonder why he hadn't heard her approach. The girl was like a cat when she didn't want to be heard. She was leaning against the doorframe clad in her usual come-get-me red with a jean skirt that was already puckering at the waist. His sister wasn't going to be able to hide that bump for long Phoenix thought idly.

"I'm not moping" He muttered in irritated tones "How's Renesmee?"

"She's doing better now. For a moment we thought we might lose them both but she pulled through" Kalika sighed and sat on the sleek black coverlet across his bed.

"Make yourself at home" he replied letting the ghost of a grin crook up the corner of his mouth. Phoenix crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back again "The baby?" His question seemed to disturb her. It was still difficult to believe that his half-vampire sister was also pregnant. Of all of them she was clearly the most unlikely of parents.

"The baby seems fine even with everything that happened" When Phoenix didn't bother to ask what had happened Kalika droned on. Even if he wasn't interested she needed someone to talk to, to vent it all out with and Phoenix was always a fair choice "The baby died or so we thought. Nobody could hear his heart beating. Jacob came running out yelling for Carlisle. Apparently the baby had moved. We all chalked it up to grief but when Carlisle did the ultrasound he saw that Renesmee's heart and the child's heart were beating almost in sync"

Phoenix took a moment to process the events before speaking. It was all so fantastical, their lives. Fraught with so many struggles and so much drama it was often hard to keep up to it all.

"Has Carlisle checked you and...Have you been checked?" Phoenix amended not certain what he should call the baby. Kalika rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Yes. I'm fine for now anyway and so is the baby" she absently rubbed the little mound and wondered what had put the shadows in Phoenix's usually bright eyes. He had always been a little more withdrawn than the rest of them but lately he was taking a wider turn on the downward spiral. Kalika knew what, or rather _who _was bothering him and disliked the girl on principle. Aurora Kavanaugh was tearing up what was left of her brother's heart and whether or not it was her fault meant little to Kalika.

"You're going to give yourself a stroke thinking like that" Phoenix chimed darkly.

"I thought I smelled smoke" Samara was a little pixie of a thing floating into the room with a victorious smile on dancer's toes. Her hair was pulled back into two little ponytails that were spiking out in a riot of black and purple from her head. Kalika merely frowned with pouted lips.

"Enough with the teasing already! Haven't you two got other things to do besides mocking the pregnant sister?"

"I find it unerringly fascinating, you?" he motioned towards Samara as she sat down next to her twin. They were so much alike, both of them with the faces of angels and yet somehow they were like completely separate entities.

"Oh yes. Highlight of my week" Samara rolled her eyes a moment before casting them with fierce concentration on Phoenix's face "What's the matter?" Phoenix sighed and cast his eyes down to the floor. He hated that she knew him so well, that they both knew him so damn well. He scrubbed a hand over his chin in frustration.

"Stop reading me, Sammy. You know the rules" He knew the words were pointless before he even had them out. She hadn't invaded his mind; he knew that but was hoping against hope that it would distract her enough to leave him alone.

"Oh puh-leez Phoenix. We know all about you and the little _witch_. It doesn't take powers to figure that out" Kalika huffed loudly.

"I think what our less tactful sister is trying to say is that we're concerned about you" Samara said wrinkling her nose at Kalika.

"I'm fine. It's not going to be a repeat of what happened in Alaska. Don't worry Kali, I broke it off"

"That's not what I'm worried about" Kalika replied throwing her arms to her sides in aggravation "I don't want you to get hurt again. You've already been through too much" sincerity was not a frequent with his sister but right now he could see it in her golden-green eyes.

"This is ridiculous" Samara exclaimed swinging her legs over the bed and standing with impeccable grace "Any fool can see that you care for her. You've been hanging around her since the night you found them all. You can't tell me that you aren't in love with her"

"I was _protecting _her. Is it too much to ask in this family for a guy to be left the fuck alone?" It wasn't truly anger that he was feeling but figured maybe, if he was surly enough, they might stay out of it. The choice had already been made, hadn't it? So why did he find himself wondering if Samara might be right?

"Of course it is" Kalika said with a wry laugh "You're a Cullen, remember?"

"How can I forget" Phoenix burst out finally showing the emotions bubbling just below the surface of his skin like a bad itch "I can't _be_ with her because of what it means to be a Cullen. I'm a vampire, a venomous one at that and you both know how volatile my powers are right now. I'd be her death; nothing more"

Samara started forward disturbed by Phoenix's last whispery statement. She stopped in her tracks when he narrowed his eyes at her. Kalika stood beside her. Neither of them had ever seen him quite this upset.

"Just leave me be!" An incensed Phoenix yelled "You're both screaming at me and right now I can't take it. Get out, please. I just need to be alone right now" he allowed his face to soften slightly in apology. It went hard again as they both nodded nearly simultaneously before turning toward the doorway.

"Training is in an hour. We'll see you there?" Samara asked quietly and left without waiting for an answer. Everyone just expected him to fall in line with whatever madness was going on here. It seemed like all of them were imprinting and falling for one another like lambs to the slaughter. It was ridiculous really, how easily they all coupled up in such a short period of time. Only a few short months had passed since the day they had arrived back in Forks and yet his sisters had both ended up finding their mates.

_It's so damn easy for them _he thought to himself before picking up the shiny black stone and turning it over a few times to cool down. He felt the insurmountable rush of power and with a stoic gulp swallowed the urges pulsing through him. It was all just too much. Angrier now than he had been even a minute before he hurled the stone across the room. It knocked up against the window frame. Phoenix heard a cracking sound and just before it hit the floor he whirled around in the chair leaping out of it like a crazed cat. The stone fell into his hand only an instant before he hit the floor. Sunlight glittered through the tiny window falling on Phoenix's sparkling palm as he opened his fingers. The sigh of relief escaped his pale, stony lips only an instant before it broke into two halves that rested against his palm like a fireball. It was strangely warm, almost burning hot but what was even odder was the symbol he could now see carved into it with perfect clarity. He got up from the floor to hold it out to the light for a better look. The symbol was etched in a round pattern with a more intricate design inside the heavily etched circle. It was familiar somehow even with the battered state it was currently in. Curiously he twisted and turned it in the light before sighing heavily. It didn't matter anyway right now. He could worry about his lineage later but for now there were battles to plan and training to absorb the crushing insanity boiling within him. Phoenix tossed the stone into the drawer of the old desk and decided he would get a head start. As he left to walk out to the tattered training ground he put all thoughts of the little stone out of his mind. It was time to go to war.

Hours later Phoenix was tackling Tristan to the ground with such ease it was impossible to feel even a little triumphant about the take down. The boy was soft when it came to battle and would have to be moulded carefully if they were to let him anywhere near a fight. His abilities were powerful, of course, but they weren't going to suffice if he got taken down while shooting fireballs into the fray. Tristan swung around sluggishly on the ground and shot out his palms. They were both engulfed in flame, lighting up the cocky smirk on his face as he stood.

"Why do I need to learn to fight when I've got the big guns" Tristan yelled out to the group that had begun gathering for training. He lifted his arms straight above his head, combining the two burning balls into one swirling mass and hurled it at Phoenix's feet. Completely undaunted by the little trick Phoenix only took a second to look over for Jasper's quiet nod. With a swiftness that Tristan would probably never be able to emulate, Phoenix took off across the field with his feet just barely touching the ground. He used the momentum to bend himself over flanking the newborn and plucking him clean off of his feet before rolling him quickly over his back. Tristan tumbled to the ground with a thud snarling up at Phoenix who had landed swiftly after a couple of well crafted shoulder rolls. So the animal was free again. _Bring it on _Phoenix thought and growled in response. This was turning in to an all out brawl and everyone seemed keen to watch the new guy get his pyromaniac ass handed to him. Jake and Embry stood over by the training dummy seemingly taking bets while Edward and Emmett laughed. The ladies were grouped together all except for Aurora. Where the hell was she anyway? And Seth hadn't arrived yet either. Putting it out of his mind Phoenix kept himself in battle stance and waited for the pathetic onslaught Tristan would undoubtedly try. Newbies were always going in for the kill a little too soon. They circled one another dubiously hissing at the other. Tristan tried to make a grab for Phoenix and was expertly evaded. Phoenix darted to the side so fast it was nearly impossible, even with the keen sight his new condition had brought, for Tristan to even have seen him move. Angrier now by the voices rising around him, most of them laying their bets on wonder boy Phoenix, Tristan turned around and threw his arm out. Before it even fully straightened he felt the heat rising up inside him, felt it clawing through him like a living thing before the inevitable release. He watched the fireball with bright eyes and clenched teeth as it shot out towards the half breed prodigal. When it hit and the flame burst free, flames rained down Phoenix's arm like napalm and the smile that spread across Tristan's face was victorious.

"Oh, now you've pissed me off. I was taking it easy on you up until now but that was my favourite shirt, bastard" Phoenix grumbled loudly as he brushed the embers of burnt fabric off his arm and then as an afterthought ripped the whole thing off. No more playing around. He curled his palms, gesturing towards himself "You want to burn me than come on, give it your best shot!" Tristan lifted his fiery hand and began to throw a series of fireballs while Phoenix seemed to be dancing lithely around them. One only missed him by a fraction as he jumped up what seemed like twenty feet in the air and rolled a few times before landing in a spread out stance. Phoenix's smirk glittered in the floodlights that lit the field while Tristan glowered back. Flames flickered in the places around Phoenix where the grass had caught the stray fireballs.

They stayed like that for a moment and then another as everyone watched in hushed silence. Phoenix finally made the move to strike and failed to hit the mark when Tristan dashed out of the way. He twisted himself around while Tristan was busy congratulating himself and grabbed him from behind in a hold that no person had ever been capable of breaking. It was one of Jasper's signature moves that Phoenix had taken and perfected over the years. His arm was right under Tristan's jaw and even though his newborn strength was formidable there was something to be said for experience. No matter how hard he struggled the hold only got tighter.

Something in the distance caught Phoenix's eye, a flash of purple through the trees. His concentration wavered for an instant when he saw that it was Aurora coming through the forest with Seth on her heels. She laughed back at him, her whole face seeming to glow when he took her hand into his own. They moved together like one person in a fluid dance. The hold weakened when Seth leaned in and the pain began to set in on Phoenix like nothing any of Tristan's fire balls could ever accomplish. His lips touched hers softly at first before she leaned in and grasped him firm around the waist. Aurora was now clearly too enamoured with Seth to give any thought to him. Had it really been so easy for her to forget what they'd shared? Tristan struggled against him as Phoenix watched the two of them, his lover and his best friend caught up in a kiss that seemed to linger on far too long even if they were mostly out of sight. Seth's hand snaking up over Aurora's hip finally did him in and Tristan broke the hold easily. He turned and the only thing Phoenix saw before the lights went out was Aurora wrapped around Seth and then everything was, blissfully, dark.


	15. Abysmal Starlight

**A/N: Cmon guys you can do better on the reviews! Thanks to those who do review. I appreciate your passion for this story, your kind words and even your moaning about who should be with who. The fact that some of you have come to care about my own original characters is as surprising as it is flattering to me. This chapter will definitely piss off the Aurora/Seth shippers but for those of you who think her destiny lies with Phoenix this chapter is for you. Who will she end up with? Ha ha I know I'm mean but I like to keep people interested. There are still a ton of cliffhangers that I've yet to clear up. Who will die in the big battles, will Samara and Embry EVER get it on, who will be with who and more importantly just what are Phoenix's powers and wo was his real mama anyway?! I'm sure that one is pissing you all off. If you want a preview of just what his powers are (next chapter) review and I'll PM it to any of those avid readers who do so. **

**P.S. I think this chapter is epic. My muse was definitely hanging out when I wrote this and the subsequent next chapter as well.  
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Chapter 15 – Abysmal Starlight

What had she been thinking? As if it wasn't all bad enough Aurora had to go and get him physically hurt. Sure it had been Seth's idea to try and make Phoenix jealous enough to realize his true feelings but had they gone too far? It was supposed to be simple, just holding hands on their way to training, a peck on the cheek but it had all escalated so quickly. It wasn't until the voices began to rise in concern and shock that Aurora was unable to break free of the hold Seth's very presence seemed to incite. How could a simple kiss turn so passionate in such a short span of time? He'd only to lay his lips upon hers when the feeling began to swarm them both as it had earlier in the glade. Seth was so warm, feverish like the rest of the Quiluetes and somehow when he kissed her she had felt such contentment. Looking back at what it had caused Aurora couldn't help but feel the exact opposite of content. She had run from the field unable to bear it if Tristan had seriously hurt Phoenix because she had been distracting him. Tristan was after all a newborn and not yet steady in his abilities. Aurora stood in a little clearing just off of Esme's garden path. There was an old stone bench settled next to a swirling water fountain that was oddly enough sculpted into the form of a gargoyle holding out his hands for the water to pour through. Someone had, had a firm grasp of whimsy when they'd decided on that one. She smelled Jasmine, ever the night bloomer and saw it twining together with ivy up over a well crafted flagstone wall. A light breeze blew through the little clearing fluttering the skirt of her flimsy dress and misplacing the hairs she'd only just fought into a ponytail. More than simply angry with herself Aurora reached up and tore the useless elastic out of her hair letting the flaming tendrils tumble free. She ran her fingers through the messy curls when what she really wanted was to tear every strand of it out of her head, to inflict the same kind of pain unto herself as she had inflicted upon both Phoenix and Seth with that stupid plan. Instead she sat on the bench and laid her head in her hands trying to come up with a logical solution for the insanity that faced her. Two men, she was torn between two perfectly wonderful men each in his own right. It had been immediate with Phoenix, that spark of chemistry, from the moment she'd first seen him. When he touched her, when he had been inside of her the world had simply disappeared. Sure, her troubles had returned in the morning and certainly multiplied but she refused to regret the decision to let him into her bed and ultimately into her heart. Seth had snuck up on her in more ways than one. She hadn't seen him, not completely, until today in the woods. Happening upon him was strange in a forest so large, almost like the hands of fate reaching out to guide them to one another. Their little rouse had quickly gone into uncharted territory when he'd done more than just kiss her on the cheek. That's how it had started but as soon as his lips had touched her flesh it was as if neither of them could stop the flood of emotion. His mouth had been so hot when he'd crushed it down upon hers, their tongues had found each other sinuously and though the kiss had been uninvited it had sparked something within her that was impossible to deny. Aurora traced a finger over her still tingling lips and could swear that she still felt the warmth of his embrace, the firm grasp of his hand on her hip. The sounds of water splashing against stone from the fountain made it difficult for Aurora to hear her own thoughts. The evilly grinning gargoyle stared at her with chiselled eyes that seemed to be taunting her. She groaned loudly, shaking her head violently from side to side. This was all just too much to bear. How had she managed to so effectively wedge herself in between two men that were every bit brothers even if their veins didn't harbour the same blood? A choice had to be made before the hurt became too widespread to bear and even though Aurora knew it was already too late to stop it she hoped that the damage already done could be repaired. It had been clear from the way that Seth had held onto her just a little too tightly and the seething fury that had been in Phoenix's ethereal eyes upon viewing Seth's possessive display that they were locked in some sort of twisted competition for her heart and she had to be the one to stop it. Gingerly she fingered the fat amethyst hanging between her breasts and stood to make the trek back to the house. Maybe a bath and some of the tea she'd brought with her could help to clear her mind.

There was Phoenix, standing right before her the moment she turned. Their eyes met and there it was, that current of electricity than ran through her every time he was near. His expression was cold, stony; his eyes flat.

"How did you find me? I wanted to be alone" Aurora groaned whirling around in exasperation. She was feeling more than a little drained and she definitely didn't need Phoenix yelling at her now especially not when every glance into his eyes brought her a memory from the night before.

"I followed your scent. Vampire, remember?"

"Yeah, well you can go right ahead and follow it back out" she returned and left the purple stone hanging as her hands went to her hips. Phoenix wanted to smile she looked so...so trite. An odd choice of words maybe, but one couldn't help but see her that way when she looked like this. He had been furious on the walk up here thinking of her as nothing but a temptress that had lured both him and Seth into her deceitful web. Maybe she was an emissary for another faction, maybe now the goddamn witches wanted the Cullens too. It seemed like everyone else was jumping on the bandwagon so why the hell not but now that he was facing her those dark thoughts disappeared. She was as much a temptress as he was with that bewildered sort of anger decorating a face that was so often set into concentration. He'd forgotten how much he missed that look, the one she often got when she was watching or analyzing. The girl was forever noticing things that most mortals would never even give a passing thought to so why couldn't she see how much he cared for her, how much it had hurt him to see her with Seth. The urge had been primal and completely unwanted but it was impossible to deny. She had to choose, it was the only way.

"It didn't take long for you and Seth to hit it off. I suppose you'll be spending tonight in _his _bed?" Phoenix knew it was cruel, could feel his throat burning at the mere prospect that maybe, just possibly it was the truth. She rounded on him swiftly slapping him hard across the face before he even knew what was happening. He never moved, never flinched. He supposed that he deserved it for saying such a vile thing.

Too angry to even register the pain that hitting him had caused her own hand Aurora's eyes widened in shock. She had never hit anyone in her life but there was something about the infuriating bastard before her that seemed to bring out the worst in her. Aurora's hand stung but not as much as the mere realization that he could incite such violence in her.

"Did last night mean _so _little to you?" she cried out and the tears began to flow. She hadn't cried when Tristan had been killed, not when she'd found out what he would become, nor had she bothered with tears when Phoenix had left her this morning but it seemed now that all of it was coming down on her. The worry, the pain, the fear, the misery and the utter feeling that she had somehow been inadequate all swamped her. She fought them back with one hard swallow and vowed to herself to never let him see her cry.

"I...I didn't..."

"Just save it Phoenix. Since I'm obviously just a whore you can leave me alone. I don't give repeat performances" she shouted in a teary voice and slid down against the rock wall to rest on the harsh gravel. Tightly she wrapped her arms over her knees and rested her wet face against them. Before long Phoenix sat down beside her but thankfully he didn't touch her or try for comfort.

"I'm sorry. I just don't know how to...that was uncalled for" he said quietly "I just don't know how to deal with all of this. Everything is happening so fast and I never expected to..."

"What...You never expected to _what?_" Aurora lifted her face up so that she could see his face. Phoenix sighed and cast his eyes up to the starry sky.

"To find someone I could love, to find you" he finished and let his eyes fall back over hers. Tears glittered in her eyes like diamonds in the starlight and when he lifted his hand to wipe them away she let him even if it was against her better judgement. His fingers skimmed over her face smooth as ice and just as chilly. With the pad of his thumb he traced a line over her top lip that was just a little more full than the bottom one. He wanted nothing more than to kiss them, to bury the scorching pain with her and tell her that he would always love her no matter what, that he couldn't live without her but it was impossible. For once he had to do the _right _thing.

"You...love me?" She sounded unsure as if it were the most insane thing ever spoken.

"Yes and that's why I have to let you go. I don't even know who I am, Aurora; where I come from"

Aurora shifted quickly away suddenly feeling very ill. Phoenix's words echoed in her head and mingled with the similar ones Seth had spoken earlier. They both cared for her, sure but did nobody _want _her? She held a hand to her unsteady stomach and felt the fresh tears begin to well up. This time however, she was going to hold them back right along with the sudden desire to whip up a tornado to take this whole godforsaken place out. She fought to control the blitz of power coursing through her.

"You love me, Seth apparently loves me but both of you are running away from me like I carry the plague. You're a couple of cowards" she yelled and jumped quickly to her feet. Over the tops of the trees a cloud began to form and from it shot a lightning bolt that lit up the night sky.

"You have to be with Seth. It's the only way for you to be happy. I can't control myself when I'm with you. My powers aren't steady enough and I won't put you in harm's way" He watched her pace the gravel floor in shoes that looked more like slippers and this time when she whirled he caught her before she could come at him. "Listen to me. Don't you understand that this is _wrong_? It doesn't matter how we feel, last night is all we get, Aurora. I'll never forget it no matter how long I live but it's the end of our story" he gave her a little shake before releasing her. Phoenix paced quickly back to the wall and rested his hand atop the ivy covered stones facing away from her.

"What if I told you that it's not Seth that I want? I don't care what kind of massive powers you're harbouring. Maybe I can help you"

"You can't know that" He muttered through teeth clenched tight together.

"Maybe not but I can tell you that I love you too. I feel it every time I'm near you, the spark is there Phoenix and last night we set that spark ablaze. You can't tell me that you can just forget about all of that and walk away" Aurora had promised herself she would never abase herself in front of any man but Phoenix wasn't just _any _man.

"No" he replied finally letting the inner turmoil show on his face as he faced her. "You have to choose Aurora and I want you to choose Seth. I'm telling you to choose Seth" Gone was the firm and stony gaze and now Aurora could see the emotion shining in his lovely eyes; her angel. He'd been her protector since the moment she'd met him and Aurora would be damned if she would let him protect her this time.

"There is another way, Phoenix; a way for us to be together" she said remembering Rosalie's earlier words. Phoenix saw the look in her eyes, the nerves raw and fraying at the edges and knew with absolute certainty that she was asking him to do the unthinkable.

"I know where you're going with this and the answer is no. I won't do that to you, I won't make you a monster" His face twisted up in anguish at the mere thought of what she would become. It was a fate he would die before subjecting her to.

"It's my body, my life and my choice" Aurora stated firmly. Indignation was marked in every facet of her face. The way her neck was tilted up ever so slightly, the sharp gleam in her clear eyes set into a face red with anger and the firm line her bow lips formed made it clear to Phoenix that he would have to try harder to make her believe that he was wrong for her. Seeing the look on his face Aurora decided to use the one thing she figured would get a response. "If you don't do it I'll just find somebody who will" It was foolish, perhaps but maybe it was time to delve into the ridiculous.

"Then you'd end up a very naive snack, a brainless lamb to the slaughter" Phoenix cried in exasperation. She just didn't seem to understand the depth of what she was asking of him to do. What would happen if she changed her mind about him after the change, if she didn't care for him anymore? It would be too much to bear knowing that he had been the one to murder her, to take her innocence, her very soul and then have it all be for nought.

"From what I've been told the Volturi will have me if you don't"

The damn Volturi were always interfering. He knew with complete clarity that Aro would covet Aurora's gifts as he did many of Phoenix's own family. They were forever trying to bring his sisters into the fold. It had been why his own gifts had been kept secret. As far as Aro was concerned Phoenix Cullen had no special ability because his family had known early on that if the Volturi leader were to discover the truth of the matter they would most certainly have taken Phoenix away by force if necessary. Thankfully, he had a plan to save Aurora from their clutches.

"They won't have you. You and Seth can run away together, leave Forks behind and start a life somewhere far away from this...this constant torment. It's the only way" He spoke with such maddening vigour but Aurora could hear the undertones, the voices between the lines and they were practically screaming the opposite.

Maybe he wouldn't realize it tonight but soon he would find that he needed her in the same burning way that she knew she needed him. The battle may be lost but the war was only just beginning.

"You want me to choose between you fine I've already chosen..."

"Choose life, Aurora. There's nothing here for you in the dark" Phoenix interrupted and was gone before she could say another word. He'd disappeared into the darkness like a ghost.

"I choose you" she whispered sadly to nobody but herself. She stood bathed in the silvery light of the moon with her dress swirling in the wind and finally, let the tears fall.


	16. Twilight Lullaby

Chapter 16 – Twilight Lullaby

Phoenix paced the library hell bent and desperate. What had he been thinking? There was a battle raging within his hardened heart, a war inside his mind. One part of him, the logical piece told him that pushing Aurora away was the right thing; the only thing to do. The heart he'd thought long dead however, just wanted to run out and tell her he'd been mistaken. He still remembered with perfect clarity the devastation marked in every inch of her visage, the tears just on the cusp of falling from her lovely eyes and her last whispered statement he hadn't been meant to hear. She chose him. What the hell was he supposed to do with that? All he wanted was to protect her, to keep her safe, to love her, to be with her. Phoenix suddenly felt like slapping himself, banging his head against the wall and he wondered if that would even do any good. The woman made him go positively schizophrenic. He strode to the window to see if she had come back yet. Though patrols were running tonight it still worried him that he'd left her out there all by herself in the dark. What was he thinking? He should have dragged her back to the house kicking and screaming but then what; tie her to a chair, lock her in a closet. How was he supposed to keep her from harm if she refused to be protected? Phoenix rubbed his hands over his face and fell into the nearest chair hearing the sounds of heavy footsteps. He looked up to see Edward stride in still dressed despite the late hour and from the looks of things mildly irritated.

"What are you doing up? I'm sure Bella's waiting for you" Phoenix taunted grabbing a random book from the table beside the chair and trying to appear nonchalant. Edward smirked and shook his head before taking the chair across from his nephew.

"Perhaps if you could turn down the volume on your little melodrama I might be able to concentrate. Christ Phoenix I could hear you from upstairs and by the way I had no idea you were interested in the marvels of gynaecology and obstetrical complications"

"Touché" Phoenix replied and laid the hard cover volume back down on the stack Carlisle had obviously been scouring. "I guess I could use a little advice before Carlisle needs to start looking through his volumes on mental illness"

"Aurora?" Edward asked raising an eyebrow. Phoenix knew that it was a rhetorical question; of course Edward already knew what the problem was.

"I don't know how I got myself into this mess. One minute it's just about protecting her and the next..." he trailed off not quite able to look his uncle in the eye.

"The next you find that you've fallen for her. This tale has already been told Phoenix" Edward sighed deeply as he finished Phoenix's thought and leaned back into the leather armchair. He knew what Phoenix was asking for and hadn't the faintest idea, just as he hadn't himself known all those years ago what should be done. Hadn't he tried everything he could to save Bella's mortal life only to find that every path he took led to the same conclusion? Now it was happening all over again; same play just with different players.

"She's already got the crazy notion in her head that she should be turned and she wants me to be her executioner" he wanted to laugh but thought better of it. Phoenix was in no state for humour at the moment but it was, to Edward sort of like looking in through a window to the past.

Edward remembered the countless nights he'd spent just moping around the house terrified and unable to come to a decision about what he should do. So he'd prolonged Bella's life by using every tactic he knew of to keep her alive but none of it had mattered. He liked to think that he'd found an inner peace about his choice to stay in Bella's life even when the obstacles had been insurmountable and the path never seemed to lead towards happily-ever-after. He could have walked away and kept his distance from her. It would have been like chopping off one of his limbs but he would have done it - if he'd thought it would do any good. Maybe, a part of him had always known that she was meant to be _eternally _his and perhaps Phoenix knew the same thing about Aurora. Of course she would have to be changed. It wasn't going to be long before the Volturi figured out that the Cullen's were harbouring humans and demanded that she be destroyed or turned.

"Aro will insist she be turned or be killed. The choice may or may not be ours" Edward shrugged slightly and thought to himself that maybe it would be best if he or Carlisle simply changed the girl as she wanted. That way the Volturi would have no cause to interfere in Cullen affairs. He patiently watched as Phoenix flew into a panic. His pale aqua eyes pierced like hot lances and in his anger dropped his usual guard. He felt the power swimming inside of him and though he tried to deny it passage the energy was boundless and needed to be freed.

_I won't let you and Carlisle kill her! We'll find another way to protect her from those political leeches._

Edward stood quickly as Phoenix's answer to his unspoken thoughts rang clear within his head. He'd used Edward's own power against him; an unacceptable move in this household considering the gravity of Phoenix's unique situation. They stared one another down with equal intensity.

_Stand down Phoenix. Let it go. You know the rules _Edward ordered with a look and watched as Phoenix registered the thoughts.

_You won't sully her. As for your rules you can stuff them! I don't care anymore about Aro, or the Brethren, or even the whole fucking Volturi. Bring them on. I'm tired of hiding this. It's damned useful Edward and we need all the artillery we can get. _

_I sincerely hope you know what you're doing, Phoenix. You know that by doing this, by using your abilities you put the whole family at risk._

"Damnit!" Phoenix yelled out loud picking up a book from the table and throwing it at the wall. He knew it was petty but this had been a long time coming. The hardcover volume went straight through the drywall creating a hole in its wake. Phoenix let out a frustrated roar and kicked the leather chair straight across the room to join the book. He was sick of keeping quiet, the constant inner turmoil of having to keep it in check all the time and the desperate clawing need to just let the beast be free.

"Are you quite finished now? It's no big screen plasma television but I am quite certain that was one of Carlisle's favourite texts and Esme will be quite unhappy with the sudden furniture realignment" Edward replied wryly. He sighed in defeat "Take it from someone who has been there. It's a losing battle. Every second you're in Aurora's life is another second that she's in danger. Leaving her or sending her away only puts her in harm's way as she will be unprotected from those that would seek to hurt her. I was foolish enough to believe once that leaving Bella was the best thing I could do for her and look what happened? If Jacob and the pack hadn't been around she would have been killed by Laurent and it would have been my fault. Do you want that?"

"No, of course I don't want that. I just don't know what I'm supposed to _do_" Phoenix passed a hand through his hair and slumped back into the one remaining chair. "Seth is in love with her. He imprinted on her" The flat statement would have belied the madness swarming inside to anyone else but his uncle. Edward had already known about Seth's intentions but he'd felt it best to let Phoenix relate it.

"I'm aware. History often likes to repeat itself in comical ways"

"She could run away with him, take off to someplace safe and be happy" Phoenix couldn't even convince himself that, that was the right idea and his voice reflected it.

"You don't want that and furthermore, neither does Seth. He loves her but he doesn't want to be _in _love with her, you do" Edward leaned up against the column where there had once been a chair turning only briefly when Jasper bounded into the room with Talan and Tristan on his heels. Emmett flashed into the room only a second behind them.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Jasper sneered as he surveyed the room. Satisfied that there were no outside threats in the room he shut the library door and paced over. Phoenix felt the glow of energy enter his body as soon as Jasper was near and the punch of power that was obviously Tristan's. It was a little stronger than he was used to. Even Kalika's powers weren't quite so heady. To illustrate just what had been going on Phoenix focused on Tristan's ability, conjuring the power into his own body and felt the wave of it rise over him, felt the fiery sensation coursing through his veins and almost lost his concentration when the flames began to lick into his palm. There was a little ball of fire sitting in his palm flickering away but ineffectual to his flesh. It was as cool as ice against his skin but burning like a torch.

"Holy shit!" Tristan exclaimed

"That's putting it mildly" Edward replied without surprise. His frown stayed steady but his eyes skimmed those of his brothers. From Emmett's struggling indecision to Jasper's clear and bright disapproval it was clear that they all had a decision to make. Fervently hoping that Phoenix was too busy tapping into Tristan's power to bother with the mind reading, Edward held a silent conversation with two older Cullen boys.

_Talk him down, Edward. You know he can't let this out. _Jasper's harsh voice echoed in Edward's head making him flinch slightly. He hoped nobody had noticed.

_Maybe it's time now, Jazz. He's fully grown. The Volturi won't be able to take him now without his consent. Besides, it's not really up to us is it? _Edward turned his gaze back to Emmett's and saw the flickering fear that they were all feeling. It was about to get a hell of a lot worse if Phoenix was to let his powers be freed.

_It's not really up to me either anymore. As you said, he's grown now. I can't make the choice for him _Emmett's voice was shaky in Edward's mind and so full of paternal emotion it was a wonder he could stand it along with all of the fatherly troubles he himself had been having lately.

_I can't agree. This is madness! We cannot let anyone know that he can mimic and absorb powers. Don't you both think I have considered how useful he would be in battle? No matter what the cost it isn't worth it to bring this out in the open. We've dealt with trouble before without Phoenix's powers and we will do so again. _Jasper was obviously incensed; clenching and unclenching his fists. Even his stance was one of imminent battle. Phoenix had obviously noticed the conversation and suddenly they could all hear his unspoken shouts.

_I'm tired of hiding. Can't anyone see what keeping this secret has done to me over the years? I need to learn to control it; to harness it and use it against those that would seek to do us harm. It's time. _He rose from his perch in the old chair and turned to his uncle. _You trained me well, Jasper. Don't worry so much, Dad. I'll be fine _He projected to Emmett.

Tristan's mouth was hanging nearly to the floor at this point.

"My head is getting a little crowded. Do you think, now that the secret is out, that we could talk out loud?" he said hopefully.

"There's nothing to talk about" Phoenix stated angrily and let out a mean growl when Jasper opened his mouth to respond "I mean it, Jasper"

"Let him be, Jazz. It's his choice now" Emmett interjected with the finality of a solemn nod. The room went suddenly quiet again only for the sounds of plaster dropping from the battered wall coupled with the snaps and pops of an electrical wire that had been ripped.

"We'd better clean this up or you won't be alive long enough to start training your powers" Edward said with a slight grin. The very thought of Esme's considerable wrath had them all rushing to put the room back in order.

* * *

Upstairs everyone was continuing their normal routines somewhat or selectively oblivious to the ruckus going on downstairs. Samara lay in bed exhausted but unable to find slumber. Night was her favorite time of the day. Everything always seemed more settled, more quiet when the darkness fell. She smiled softly to herself as she felt Embry's arm wrap around her waist. He'd nearly passed out from exhaustion. It was strangely a comfort to know that he was able to be in the same bed with her and not expect anything in return. It all seemed so much less important after witnessing just how crazy things could when sex was involved. She knew now that it was probably best that they wait. Maybe Embry hadn't been wrong at all about holding out for the perfect moment. He moaned a little in his sleep making her wonder just what he was dreaming about. Samara was pretty tired herself what with the excitement of the day and Jasper's constant need for torturous training. Sleep was, however, eluding her. Perhaps a little journey through Embry's dreams would be just the tonic she needed to finally fall asleep. It was easier now to slip into his mind, even easier to delve into the unconscious bits of his psyche that lay dormant during the day. Samara whipped past the memories of the day and flew straight into a vision so lovely and stunning she almost lost her concentration at the very sight. In his mind there was an archway erected in the foggy forest. It was crafted from branches with tiny white flowers strewn throughout the brambles. The mists curled around her feet as she walked. She was wearing something heavy, a dress that kissed the ground as she strode quietly forward following the trail of rose petals on the dewy ground. A wedding gown? Samara looked down at herself in astonishment. It was a wedding he was dreaming about, their wedding?

Hearing the sound of his voice beckoning her forward she stepped lithely toward the erected alter. When she lifted her gaze up she saw him. Embry stood waiting underneath the canopy of white flowers wearing a dark suit and a grin. In an instant the whole scene disappeared and they were once more standing by the waterfall where her first projection had taken them. Gone was the showy white gown she had been wearing. It was replaced with the blue cotton dress Embry loved.

"How are you doing this?" Samara asked feeling a little more than stunned. She was used to being in control of the projections but for some reason Embry was stealing the show. He was changing things to suit his vision. It was an ability she simply had never encountered with anyone else.

"Hey, it's my mind remember?" Embry replied laughingly "I knew you'd come"

"Oh really?" Samara replied with a sly wink "Is that why you were dreaming about marrying me?"

"Don't tease. It's what I dream about, Sammy. I dream about being with you, forever" He pulled her into a tight embrace squeezing just a little tighter than usual. He was nervous about something she could feel it from the slightly faster pace of his heart. Something significant was about to happen and at the mere thought Samara's own heart began to race. Embry pulled back just a fraction leaning in to take her lips in a kiss that left her breathless and a little dizzy.

"Wow. Maybe I should tease you more often" Samara replied in a voice filled with contentment. Her sigh smelled sweet as the breath wafted over Embry's face. He took a second to just look at the tender girl before him. She was beautiful, maybe not in the traditional sense but everything about her screamed perfection in Embry's eyes. He wanted all of her. The sweet, innocent girl, the sexy, empowered woman and the brainy computer whiz; he loved them all. Every unique side of her called to him and he could only hope that she would accept his promise now.

"I have something for you" Embry's voice shook a little as he moved to take the object that possibly held his future out of his pocket. He had worn it in his shorts when he went to sleep just hoping that she would join him here in this his dream world. Samara's eyes widened when she saw the black velvet box that he lifted into his palm. Her hand automatically went to her rest over her racing heart and then he did the unthinkable. Embry dropped down to one knee and took her left hand into his own. He held it with such care as would a man holding a precious and breakable object. Looking into his eyes Samara could see the abject terror reflected in the chocolaty pools but behind it there was a love so deep and true it was undeniable. She held her breath and waited patiently as he began to speak.

"You took me by surprise, Sammy. Like a lightning bolt you shot down from the sky and brightened up my world. Before you, my life was empty and then I heard your voice and it was like my whole heart was full in a way I could have never expected. You are more than just my imprint, you've become my reason for being and I don't think I could ever be whole without you. I love every facet of you. Your soft-hearted sweetness, the way you look when you're angry, how you always manage to keep me on my toes and I hope that you'll never stop. Be my wife Samara Cullen and I promise that I will love you more than you could possibly imagine"

The dreamy world just stopped for a moment in silent witness. Even the waterfall seemed to have ceased its constant gush and instead fell like tinkling raindrops into the calm pool below. Samara felt an instant sense of warmth and all of her nerves dissipated as Embry declared his love and asked for her hand all at once. The light surrounded them as he popped the box open to reveal the two twisted bands of white gold that met in the center where a glittering black stone sat completing the circle. It was perfect. Two bands of gold like two souls meeting in the middle to form one beautiful life together. Wordlessly, Samara held out her hand stifling a giggle as Embry fumbled a bit taking the small ring out with his big hand. Carefully he placed it on her finger and slipped it down. Samara immediately felt the heat of the stone radiating on her finger as Embry stood holding both of her hands in his. "Is that a yes?" He asked tentatively. Samara decided it was high time she put him out of his misery.

"Yes" she whispered sweetly "It's definitely a yes. A thousand times yes" Tears of joy slipped out unchecked as she leaned in to seal the promise with a kiss. Embry lifted her up into his arms and spun her around both of them laughing and clinging to one another. Easily, he set her tiny form back down to the grass where Samara held her tingling hand up to the light to admire the extraordinary gift.

"It was my grandmother's. She gave it to my mother just before she died. My grandfather forged it himself and had the traditional Quileute stone set into it. They were married for nearly 70 years _and_ I'm babbling" Embry said reaching out to wipe a lone tear from her awestruck face "You're beautiful"

"Oh!" Samara sobbed even as she smiled "It's perfect, you're perfect" The light around them grew in intensity as their lips locked and their bodies twined together in perfect sync. As the light faded and the dream ended Samara fell into the dark, into sleep and when she woke bathed in morning sunlight the ring was on her finger and she was curled into Embry's protective embrace.


	17. Betrothed and Confused

**A/N: This one jumps around a bit. I wanted to tell the whole story from different perspectives so I hope it's still pretty cohesive. The end of this chapter is the clincher for Aurora. What happens will finally allow her to make a decision but will it be too late? The next chapter will be a doozy. I've been dying to write it and now that I'm through with this part of it, I can. **

**Enjoy and please review. I won't even think about updating until I get 10 reviews! **

Chapter 17 – Betrothed and Confused

Embry was in shock. There was no other way to describe it as dozens of eyes fell instantly towards him and Samara making their descent into the main room. It had been cleverly festooned with more decorations than the house could possibly handle. Along the far wall was a buffet table teeming with breakfast foods with the crowning glory, a three tier strawberry shortcake layered with mounds of whipped cream sitting on its own table. What was more disconcerting was the crowd of seemingly everyone either of them had ever known converging on the staircase waiting for them. Samara clutched his hand tightly with a firm squeeze he was sure was meant to be comforting but when he looked over at her he saw the same astonishment reflected in her emerald eyes. How did they all know? Of course the answer to that was simple; Alice. Samara only barely saw the conspiratorial wink that passed between her father and Embry. So he _had _asked for permission after all. It was a sweet thought that she only had a moment to reflect upon before the ladies converged almost en masse to grab at her ring finger.

"Let me see" Kalika was the first to lift Samara's limp hand up for a glance while the others stood around with a mixture of oohs and ahhs "Don't look so stunned sis. You had to know this was coming" Embry was quickly pulled into the group of men. Even as he tried to keep his hand tucked into hers they plucked him away like a swarm of locusts. Congratulations rang out as Alice pushed her tiny frame through the gaggle of onlookers and snatched Samara's hand away so that she could see.

"It's beautiful. I've never had one to compare it to..." Alice trailed off looking meaningfully over her shoulder at Jasper with a cocky smirk "but, never mind that" she waved a hand "Now onto more important things; we have a bazillion things to do before the wedding. There are the flowers to decide on, the reception, oh! And the dress..." Alice continued on while everyone began to disperse leaving a bewildered Samara staring at her aunt like a terrified animal about to be sucked dry.

Jacob watched as his wife, now full of color and blossoming with the beauty of burgeoning life wandered back over to his side.

"I'll bet you're glad now that we sprung our wedding on her at the last second or that would be you up there" Jacob gestured up to Alice plotting with Samara and had the pleasure of seeing his wife grin wickedly. He couldn't believe the difference only a few days was making. It seemed like only yesterday that she was lying in a hospital bed sallow and limp but now she was healthy and rapidly starting to develop a serious baby bump. Renesmee leaned into the comfort of Jacob's frame snuggling in when he laid his arm over her shoulders.

"It was my master plan all along" she said with a wink while she rubbed her stomach "I swear this baby is already trying to phase or something with all the jumping around he's doing, oomph" Jacob smiled into her hair. It wouldn't do for his pack to see their alpha looking like the big softy he was lately. Despite all of that, he couldn't help himself from laying a hand over her belly to feel his son's rapid movements. A son, he was going to be a dad. It was a notion that sometimes excited him while at other times, during more quiet moments, it terrified him. He supposed it would be a lot like the job he already had; the alpha.

In his usual habit, Jacob took a survey of his pack. He liked to know about all of the dynamics going on within and outside of his group. Leah was the first to catch his eye what with her standing so terrifyingly close to the newborn vampire, Tristan. He looked to be in pain, almost the same way Jacob remembered Jasper acting back in the early days. As long as he didn't try to take a bite out of her, Jacob figured Leah could hold her own. Embry was currently trying to rescue Samara from Alice's clutches but just as Jacob suspected, the vampire pixie rounded on him too talking about tux colors and attendants. She was relentless, their Alice he thought with a smile. Talan and Kalika were dancing to the music Edward had, had the presence of mind to put on. An old Goo Goo Dolls song blasted through the room. What was most disconcerting was Seth. He was spinning Aurora around the dance floor in an intimate way that had Jacob's senses going in to hyper drive. It wasn't Seth's actions that were putting him on alert but the cold stare from Phoenix Cullen standing just across the room. If there was going to be trouble here today Jacob felt certain it would be those two that would be the cause.

Renesmee felt her husband's muscles tauten and his breathing start to rush. She turned her face to follow his gaze. Phoenix was the target and she could see why after looking towards the couple swaying on the dance floor. It was fairly harmless as Seth and Aurora were merely dancing but she knew what Phoenix's intentions were. She could read him from across the room and what she saw made her feel sorry for him even if the whole messed up situation_ was_ his fault. He'd let Aurora go or at least that's what he was trying to do when he'd told her to choose Seth but Renesmee could feel what he felt in that moment; the searing pain of a soul being stripped. She laid a restraining hand on her husband's chest and decided to show him what she had seen before Jacob jumped into action.

"You've got to let them be, Jake. This is not your fight" Renesmee murmured quietly. Jacob nodded but kept his eyes on the scene rapidly unfolding.

Seth hadn't noticed anything at all except for the beauty in his arms. It occurred to him darkly that maybe the only reason why Aurora was dancing with him was to make Phoenix jealous but tried to put it out of his mind. However nice it was to hold her, to feel her body moving rhythmically with his there was still a piece of him that knew they could never be. There was a war going on inside of him and Seth was as yet uncertain which side would win. He wanted his freedom, longed for the ability to just take off away from all of this insanity and find some peace but his heart had quashed that decision the moment he had seen Aurora's fair face. Now all he wanted, all he thought about was being with her and somehow molding her into that life with him. Sure there would be obstacles. If he continued to phase he would never age or change whereas she would. He wondered to himself if he actually could stop being the wolf for the rest of his life. It had been such a huge part of his persona for nearly a decade and he still wasn't sure if he could give it up.

"Where'd you go?" Aurora asked with a tiny forced grin. She was trying to bring him out of that shell but it was proving to be a very difficult task. He was more distant than Phoenix ever could have been but at least he was willing to be around her.

"Nowhere" he lied "I'm right here where I belong. I'm with you" he murmured into her ear. Aurora looked up from Seth's shoulder just in time to see Phoenix standing in the corner; alone. His face was like a mask void of any emotion, flat and cold to the eye of most beholders but to her it was false. It was a facade he was putting on like an actor in a play. There was anger seeping from his pores like a living, clawing beast and beneath it all there was jealousy. It was odd to feel the glimmer of hope inside her like an answer to the violence of his emotion, even odder still to find that it somewhat pleased her to be the object of that heady a desire. Here she was dancing with a guy who wasn't afraid to care, who wanted to risk it all to be with her and she couldn't stop herself from loving another. It was as if there was an unbreakable cord between them, a bond forged from that one night that was proving impossible to snap. Aurora sighed heavily and found herself almost relieved to hear the last chords of the song fade out.

"I'm going to go find Piper. She has to talk to Tristan even if I have to drag her by the hair to do it" Now she was the liar. Of course it was true that Piper had been avoiding their brother but Aurora was merely using it as an excuse. Seth's hand stayed on her waist for a moment and he leaned in awkwardly for a quick kiss. Aurora moved her face to the side whether intentional or not and had Seth coming up short of the mark. His lips touched her cheek just barely as she glided away on graceful steps. He was left alone in the middle of the floor wondering what in the hell had just happened. Absently he looked over to the spot where Aurora's gaze had been fixed and felt his blood begin to boil. Phoenix was standing there with one foot bent behind him on the wall, arms crossed over a rock hard chest in nonchalance. His creepy, too-clear eyes were fixed on Aurora's retreating back longingly. The fury rose up in Seth like a cancerous vapour and when Phoenix pushed off of the wall, when he headed out to the back yard Seth clenched his fists together and followed suit.

Out of the entire party the only one to see Seth stalk off after Phoenix was Jacob.

Though he didn't actually need the air in the physical sense, Phoenix _wanted_ it. It was impossible to be in a room with Aurora and not think about how her skin had felt naked and moving like satin against his, how sweetly crazed she could make him with one pithy sentence, or the simple and undeniable fact that he loved her. He tried to staunch the memories with the robust aroma of the chilly fall breeze but it was no use. She was in his head, taking up residence in his heart and nagging at his soul. Could there ever be a way for him to truly be free from her? Some part of him raged at the mere thought of leaving her and yet Phoenix knew it was inevitable just as he knew that he and Seth were about to butt heads. Now that he was openly using his power he could hear the murderous thoughts snaking through his friend's brain. As he dodged Seth's first blow he couldn't help but think that Edward's powers were quite useful. To put them on a more even playing field Phoenix allowed the power to ebb away from him. He held up his hand to catch the next attempt and instead, used his own well earned strength to push Seth away.

"What the hell is your problem, bro?" Phoenix yelled as Seth bumped smartly into the wooden banister that surrounded the back deck.

"You are, _bro_" Seth returned sarcastically emphasizing the word bro.

_So, this is how it's going to be _Phoenix thought bleakly. He'd already lost most everything and now he was about to lose his last bastion, the only true friend he'd ever really had.

"If this is about Aurora..."

"Of course it's about Aurora" Seth interrupted "Why can't you just leave us alone?"

"I've already walked away, told her I didn't want her despite everything I feel for her. I can't do any more" Phoenix allowed the trickle of exasperated emotion to penetrate his voice hoping that just maybe, Seth just might understand the gravity of his pain.

"and yet you're still around, haunting her like a ghost, constantly reminding her of...of"

"Of what we shared, of the night we made love, the night I made her _mine_" He watched with little satisfaction as Seth's already anguished expression instantly turned furious "Go ahead Seth, I'm already dead. What more can you possibly do to me?" Phoenix let his arms fall out to the side in invitation.

Leah couldn't help but feel strained. It was as if she were absorbing the violent hunger directly from Tristan. He was miserable and she didn't need a psychic or a mind reader to tell her where his thoughts were. It was written all over his face. There was murder in his freaky red eyes, death in his every quivering movement. Maybe, it had been too soon to introduce him to this many people at once.

"We should go, maybe hunt some" Leah reasoned but knew it was no use. Tristan was determined to control the bloodlust even if it killed him, again.

"I don't want to hunt, Leah. I need to control this...this monster inside of me. I refuse to let it win"

"You aren't a monster, Tristan. You'll beat this" Leah said stroking a hand down his quaking arm. When she touched him it was easier to feel steady. Sometimes her presence was the only thing keeping him grounded. Even so it was impossible to ignore the little vein throbbing in her neck, the rapid and lively sound of her heart pumping all of that blood. He could smell it and yet there was something repulsive about the very thought of drinking Leah's blood. Phoenix had explained the rivalry to him and the whole "natural enemies" situation. He had to assume that, that was probably why he had no taste for her even if he was starving. It seemed that particular rivalry was in full swing today as he watched Phoenix shove Leah's brother back in an attempt to defend himself.

"I don't think I'm the one we need to worry about, pretty Leah" Tristan mocked with a slight gesture to the argument ensuing on the other side of the glass doors. Leah peered out but never expected to be seeing her own brother having a brawl with Phoenix. She sighed and turned her gaze towards Edward who was already starting forward with a nod. Leah wondered if it would ever be possible for this unlikely family to host one event without trouble. She didn't have to wonder long before her annoyance quickly turned to surprise. Tristan first saw her mouth form a shocked "O" before hearing the crash, the tinkling of glass and seeing Phoenix fly through what used to be the patio doors.


	18. Weak and Powerless

**A/N: I'm baaaaaccccck!!! LOL I know it's taken me forever to get this one up but here it is told in 3 parts from the three parties involved. The story is just about to get GOOD so don't quit on me now guys. The juciest stuff is coming up. We have a wedding, a couple of births, a huge battle and death is coming to Forks :O Uh Huh you read that right. Someone is going to die. Just to remind you all this little fanfiction will have three "books" I've spent all this time laying on my back after JUST having surgery writing out an outline for the third and final book. Now you know why it took me so long to get this up. Anyways, I don't own the characters except my own of course, blah, blah, blah**.

_**Song used in this chapter is "Weak and Powerless" by A Perfect Circle. One of my favorite songs of ALL time by the way. Enjoy :)**_

Chapter 18 – Weak and Powerless

**Phoenix**

Phoenix navigated through the obstacle course with ease sliding gracefully under the bar with a drop kick that would make Zen masters weep. The first dummy went down with such ease it barely made a sound. Without pause he rushed forward to knock the head off of another and jumped up over the high stone wall as if he had simply grown wings. The rain fell in torrents around him as he landed spread out with one hand clutched in the grassy, wet earth. He tilted his head up to the sky noting that it was onyx black, looking very much like it just might open up to swallow him whole. Thunder boomed while the lightning chased itself through the clouds like a wiry gold chain weaving into the darkness. Idly, Phoenix wondered to himself if the storm had been nature's plan or if it was just another side effect of his latest screw up. Perhaps it was just an echo of Aurora's considerable wrath. He cocked a brow up towards the window of her room now dark inside but for the obvious glow of a candle. He remembered all too well what she looked like wearing nothing _but _the glimmer of candlelight.

_Tilling my own grave to keep me level  
Jam another dragon down the hole  
Digging to the rhythm and the echo of a solitary siren  
One that pushes me along and leaves me so_

_Desperate and ravenous,  
So weak and powerless over you_

Of course he also remembered the anguish in her eyes from his unfortunate vantage point on the glass covered floor as she told both himself and Seth that she didn't want anything to do with _either _of them. Her voice had been full of ire as he remembered the words she'd spoken.

"I'm not yours to give away, Phoenix Cullen and I certainly don't belong to you either, Seth. You can both just go to hell"

"I'm already there" Phoenix whispered into the rain as he watched the vision of her stalking out of the room fade into the ether of his mind with a wince. Renesmee's abilities were more powerful than they had ever been before making it easy for Phoenix to plague himself with the memories. He tried to shake himself out of it but lately it just seemed like everything was too concentrated, the despair too much for anyone to bear. He knew it was going to get worse, that things were headed to a destination that he wasn't sure any of them would be ready for, certainly not him. There were so many questions left to be answered, so much he had yet to learn about himself in the mere seven years he had existed and it was time he found the answers. The glimmer of light suddenly brightened against the gloom and when Phoenix turned his gaze up he saw Aurora awash in the golden light of a candle. She looked down at him and in that moment he forgot to care about the obstacles, let the troubles of the past slip into the ether of his mind. He let go of all the anger, the frustration and the pain and just for a moment allowed the emotion, the sheer vulnerability to creep into his eyes. He could see every facet of her glowing face from the sleek feline eyes right down to the full unpainted lines of her mouth. It was terrible, the gnawing desperation to just go to her, to bury himself and all of his sorrows in her. It would be like drowning, like diving into a cool lake, a carefree way to run away from the problems he now faced.

_Someone feed the monkey while I dig in search of China  
White as Dracula as I approach the bottom_

_Desperate and ravenous,  
So weak and powerless over you_

"No" he muttered momentarily surprised that he had spoken aloud. The girl was making him crazy and had been doing so ever since the moment he had first laid eyes on her. Phoenix opened his clenched hand to find a clump of the moist earth in his grasp. Disgusted with himself he turned back only to find that the light had died and Aurora was gone. It was past time he used Renesmee's power to figure out just where that engraved stone had come from and then, well, he told himself he would do whatever it took. He'd never be able to have her, to be any part of her life until he knew who and what he was.

He stalked across the drenched grass and into the garage with an air of purpose, one that anyone in his family would know to be careful of. Thankfully nobody was around which, Phoenix decided, was definitely a good thing with the mood he was in. He clattered up the metal staircase, carelessly swung the door wide and headed straight for the desk drawer.

There was no idle fingering of the stone now, no careful examination. Phoenix gripped it so hard into his palm he thought it a wonder the thing didn't simply shatter. It would not be easy. He'd known that from the instant he'd made his decision to try. Adapting another's power was not the issue it was channelling it that was difficult especially when the subject wasn't near. With eyes burning and a sick feeling rising up in the pit of his stomach he felt the first memory flash come to him with a deafening crack of noise. Phoenix nearly lost his grasp on the stone, lost his focus and then dragged himself back into the noise, into the dark where the past was buried. Images came at him like bricks flooding his senses with a richness that was unparallel to anything he'd ever experienced.

There was a woman, dark in complexion with eyes the color of coal and long hair in nearly the same shade but for the grey streaks spread out over what would soon be her deathbed. The stone hung on a chain around the listless body. Others stood about the room observing as was the usual ritual bestowed upon the ones meant to live on. As her last breath escaped through papery thin lips, a boy was nudged reluctantly forward and with a gentleness Phoenix could only register as reverence, lifted the necklace up. The memories shifted from there. The boy became a man who took a pretty wife to be his own under the starlight. Phoenix watched the stone pass to a young man and from that man to a pretty young girl. She wasn't as dark as the others, her eyes an uncharacteristically and ethereally light green, her hair was coppery instead of the usual raven black. Phoenix lingered in this part of the memory and saw the watchful eyes of those in the tribe who disapproved. The man was Caleb and the girl he loved was only a half-blooded Quileute. He called her Kara. At first there was happiness, sweetness from Caleb, a proposal of marriage. Though she didn't love him, Kara consented to the marriage because her mother had wanted her to.

Certain now that this was the woman who had given him life Phoenix watched in horror as the man who had once called her sweetheart repeatedly beat her, raped her and turned the once innocent young girl into a victim. Phoenix's vision began to waver, he knew he'd been holding it for too long but he needed to see the rest and so he bore down hard to fight the rising sickness back. The last thing he saw, the final vision he was party to before he slumped to the floor was Kara battered and bruised, packing a bag and leaving. He saw the street signs swimming by as she passed them on the highway. Just before the light went dim he knew where his mother had met her end. The stone dropped from his listless hand as he drifted into the dark.

* * *

**Aurora**

Coming across a situation that seemingly had no solution was not something that Aurora was accustomed to. She sat in the darkness with the puff of smoke wafting up from the candle she'd blown out and though she tried to suppress it, she couldn't get the look of Phoenix's wicked eyes out of her head. He'd stared at her through the glass as if there was no barrier between them and yet it felt as if she were locked in a tower surrounded by insurmountable walls. She tried to tell herself that it meant nothing, that he was merely toying with her emotions but knew there was something seriously flawed with that theory. Somehow all of it was wrong. Sure he had demons, baggage like the rest but wasn't love supposed to conquer all?

Apparently, not in this case.

With a flick of her wrist she sent the candles glowing again. What good did it do to brood? Action was better. Idly, Aurora fingered the silky fabric pouch taking in the faint smell of verbena and lavender. Yes, she thought with a half smile, action was definitely better. With a half smile she lifted her palm up and pursed her lips blowing out a puff of air that sent the herbs and other reagents wafting into the air. There had always been only one other person in the world who had ever understood her, implicitly and she was beyond the compass of heaven and earth. As if in answer to her thoughts, Aurora heard a whisper in her ear, the familiarity of her mother's cheerful voice. She knew it was petty and maybe a little childish to have conjured her but there were times when a girl simply needed a mother.

"What troubles you dear heart?" Renoa Kavanaugh had always been stunning and in her death she was no exception. Her long tresses the same fiery shade as her daughter's were bound in loose coils about the nape of her neck and though she knew it was clichéd Aurora had conjured her in a gown of frothy white. Those steady, patient eyes while transparent were still the same blinding blue. Renoa reached out impotently beyond the veil her hand skimming down the length of her daughter's hair. Though it wasn't a tangible sensation, Aurora could feel the touch like prickles of ice dancing up her spine.

"Mama..." she tried to find the words, to explain but found them choked in the back of her throat.

"Ah" Renoa replied in a tone laced with the wisdom of the ages "Tis a man that's driven you to bring me out of my rest, then?" she grinned and set the dimples Aurora had forgotten about twinkling in the candlelight. Seeing the fretful look in her daughter's quietly green eyes realization struck "Aye, but there's more than one"

"How could you possibly know all of this? You couldn't be watching me all of the time"

Renoa's Irish cream laugh resounded like a metallic echo throughout the richly furnished bed chamber.

"I've seen enough, my darling" There was a quiet sadness in her voice now, a frown crinkling her brow "Would you like for me to tell you that giving yourself to the vampire was the wrong thing to do?"

There was just enough residual teenage embarrassment left to have the color rising in Aurora's cheeks.

"I didn't think, Mama. For the first time in my life I didn't weigh the options or think things through. I just reacted" One glistening tear slipped over her cheek.

Her mother simply waved a hand in her habitual gesture of impatience.

"You can't rationalize love, Aurora. It is the most intangible of emotions, the most volatile and yet it can also be the most forgiving"

"He doesn't love me. I was a conquest, nothing more. I should just forget about Phoenix. Seth loves me; he wants me, so why the hell can't I fall for him?" Aurora's tears had always quickly turned into temper. It was something that had both fascinated and infuriated her mother when she'd been little. Renoa saw the glint of that fury dancing like a hurricane over that face and felt the glimmer of pride, of hope.

"You'll try, dear heart because that's just who you are. You'll try because he cares for you, the wolf, but ask yourself if it's what you _really _want or is it just your own stubbornness getting in the way of your future with your vampire"

"I'm not stubborn and he's sure as hell not my vampire" Aurora countered lifting her hands in frustration and whirling to face the window. Rain pattered steadily against the glass and the winds were picking up again. With a sigh she tilted her head back over her shoulder just in time to see the amusement flash bright as diamonds in her mother's eyes "I'm pleased you find this all so humorous"

"Ah, well I could use a good bit of fun. I have been dead after all"

"_Mama_" She winced.

"Believe me Aurora; there will come a day when all of this is merely a distant and somewhat comical piece of the puzzle. Why are you so afraid to let him into your heart?" Renoa fingered the talisman she had always worn making sure that it was more than visible. She fervently hoped that Aurora would catch on quick. The veil was thickening and her time was short.

"Letting Phoenix into my heart, intertwining our lives is impossible. He doesn't want to be with me the way I want to be with him. Forever is apparently too much of a commitment for him." Seeing the way her mother's effigy began to fade, the dark creeping in at the edges Aurora felt the tears form like a gathering storm. She wasn't ready to let her go quite yet and knowing that it was soon going to happen was putting the squeeze on her heart.

"Put yourself in his place. Would you agree to end Phoenix's life? No, don't answer right away. I want you to think about it, really think. Perhaps it's not that he doesn't love you enough, more that he loves you too deeply. True love is never, could never be easy and it damn well shouldn't be. You'll have to convince him and when you're ready for that you'll find all you need in the memories of the past" Renoa once more fingered that blue lapis stone hanging against the rapidly disappearing white dress.

"Please, Mama, don't go" The desperation was audible, the tears flowing freely now as her mother's hand reached up as if to wipe them away. Aurora leaned in to the wavering form of her mother only to feel the illusion wisp away into the darkness. There was nothing left now but the faint smell of herbs.

"Look for the skylark, my dear heart and choose wisely" Her mother's voice was nought but an airy whisper in her ear and though it bolstered her, those last words were puzzling. Surprise wormed its way through the din of sadness when she opened the fist she hadn't known she'd been clenching to find her mother's necklace resting in her palm. It glimmered in the dull light of the candles both startling and fascinating since the pendant had been buried with Renoa. The corner of Aurora's mouth quirked up ever so slightly as she fingered the dense blue stone. So her mother still had her wiles even in the spirit realm. She tread over to the window in slow steps half expecting to see Phoenix still pounding away in the storm and when he wasn't there, when that hot fist of disappointment pressed down on her she finally made the choice. In her heart Aurora knew that it was never a matter of choice. Hope blazed through her for the first time in weeks along with the steady glow that came from finally having a clear head. She knew what she had to do now and was beyond hell bent to do it. Hurricane force winds be damned, she would get what she wanted and she would get it tonight.

_Little angel go away  
Come again some other day  
The devil has my ear today  
I'll never hear a word you say  
Promised I would find a little solace  
And some peace of mind  
Whatever just as long as I don't feel so_

_Desperate and ravenous,  
So weak and powerless  
Over You_

Convince him, her mother had said and that's just what she planned to do. She would lay it all out for once and for all using every tool she had at her disposal to get Phoenix to finally see reason. Grabbing only what she needed, Aurora threw on her coat and prepared for a battle with the elements.

* * *

**Seth**

The door swung the door open so fast it nearly came off the hinges and stopped Phoenix cold. Seth suddenly stood in the middle of his room sporting a couple of cuts and some minor bruises that were already turning a sickly yellow color. Phoenix stood where he was shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.

"What the hell do you want now? You know normally I would be up for round two, Seth, but you just don't hold my attention anymore" It was paltry and terse but he'd be fucked if he was going to play nice and tow the line not this time when so much was a stake.

"Give me a few days and we'll see just how long I can hold your attention" Seth replied the corner of his lips quivering in the attempt to keep the grin at bay. Phoenix simply walked over and poked a finger into the ribs he knew had been broken in the fray and leaned back on the desk morbidly pleased when Seth turned a putrid green "Let's make that a few weeks" he managed to choke out through the vicious gasp for air.

"You look like ass" Phoenix chortled softly watching as Seth's gaze roamed to the suitcase laid out on the bedspread.

"and you look like you're running away again" Seth crossed his arms over his chest ignoring the fiery blast of pain he felt with every blessed movement.

"Got things to do" Deep down he knew that his old friend deserved to know about all of the darkness surrounding him but after everything that had happened he just wasn't so sure if their kinship would hold. It was all bad enough to have a woman come between them but that was simply trivial compared to the mere possibility that they might share a blood bond too.

"You're leaving her? You're just going to take off and fucking leave her here pining for you" The bitterness in Seth's usually jovial tone clinched it. He would have to play the game a little longer. Phoenix told himself there would be time for explanations later. Maybe Seth needed his indifference now.

"I guess you'll just have to take care of her. Isn't that what you've wanted all along?" Phoenix put a deliberately impassive expression in his eyes and grabbed for the suitcase. Seth needed to believe that he couldn't care less about Aurora. It took his entire well of built up self control not to allow his lips to tremble but there was a hot ball of pain searing his insides at the mere thought that she truly would move on in his absence. When Seth merely stared back at him, eyes ablaze, Phoenix strode to the door shooting daggers with his piercing glance "This is what you wanted. Take your chance, man but don't screw it up. You hurt her and I promise you that treaty won't hold for very long"

Without for a reply he took the metal stairs two at a time hearing the clanging just buried under the ringing in his ears. Could he really just leave everything he's ever cared about behind? Resigned that this was best for everyone he started the engine of the new Camaro he'd had custom painted a deep midnight blue. As he backed out of the slot he saw Seth standing at the top of the stairs with his fists clenched at his sides as if preparing for a fight. The anger in his usually trusting eyes was startling but Phoenix figured he had earned it after everything. The garage door swung smoothly open but instead of peeling out as he would have normally done Phoenix bided his time, driving slowly over the little ramp and over the pavement. He had scented her long before he saw the pinprick shape that was stupidly fighting through the wind and torrential rains. He started to get out of the car, to go to her and gather her insufferable ass up into his arms before she got hypothermia or something but forced himself to put his hands back on the wheel. She wasn't his to care for anymore and it was all the more evident from the solid mass that was Seth already moving towards her. She was dripping when she came into the clearing, shivering madly and still she was beautiful.

Seth could only watch as Aurora ran towards Phoenix.

She was fully prepared to haul him out of the car and blurt out the little speech she'd been practicing on the way over but there was something in his piercing green eyes that reeked of goodbye. It dawned on her slowly that he was leaving Forks, leaving her just after she had finally made the choice. Though the anger and denial simmered in her belly like a swarm of annoyed bees it was impossible to ignore the silent plea for forgiveness in his gaze, the stripped bare kind of pain was something she understood all too well. Aurora stood there just a couple of strides away from the car feeling completely impotent while Seth stood on the other side mirroring the gesture. They made a kind of odd but certainly apt triangle on the soaked pavement. The moments passed as if they were hours and when Phoenix finally started down the drive she watched, and watched until the car was enveloped by the mists at the end f the long driveway. He was gone. The sound of her heart tearing was a nearly audible crack in her ears; the water that trenched its way over her face was more tears than rain. When she crumpled to the ground, when the inhuman sobs began it was Seth who gathered her up and carried her silently back towards the house.

Desperate and ravenous,  
So weak and powerless  
Over you


	19. Death Via Email

**I'm being sneaky again but I promise I wont leave you hanging for too long off this lovely little cliff. The next few chapters will be told in flashback from various points of view to detail just what madness ensued on Samara and Embry's wedding day. I am really pleased with the storylines I've concocted for these 5 flashback chapters. I will however need at least 10 reviews before I post the next chapter ;) Cmon guys it isn't hard to write a few words. **

**Who do you think is dead?**

**Who is Embry's reall father?**

**What was Renesmee's loss?**

**Why did the Brethren attack La Push?**

**Eager to hear your thoughts! :)**

**Melanie**

Chapter 19: Death Via Email

_Phoenix,_

_So much has happened since you left._

_You missed my wedding. It was planned to be the perfect day but nothing is ever perfect in our world. You of all people should know that. It is, after all, why you ran away. I'm married now and you weren't there. I'm not sure whether that pisses me off or if it's the fact that you weren't here when all hell broke loose, literally. Where are you? So many are dead, brother, and though most of us came out of the battle unscathed death came to call here as well. Nobody was safe from Corbin's considerable wrath. They attacked La Push last night. While we were dancing and toasting and celebrating a new beginning their world was coming to its end. We tried to save them but it was too late and in our zeal we lost people dear to us as well. It isn't yet known why he attacked the Quileute people or what his agenda is. All I do know for certain is that you need to come home. We need you here to fight, Renesmee needs someone to avenge her loss and Aurora just needs you here Phoenix, before she too is lost. The Volturi ordered her destroyed. They want her and the talents she possesses and they aren't particular about how they get them. It's all so wrong, like a nightmare that has no end in sight and I need my brother now more than ever._

_Please, come home Phoenix._

_Sam_


	20. Denial

**A/N: Keep reading until the end. Surprises are abound in this chapter even at the very end. The whole ordeal of Samara/Embry's wedding day, the Volturi and the Brethen battle will be told in flashback throught these last 5 chapters. They mirror the 5 stages of grief. Yes there is a 3rd book on the horizon to finish it out. A super race is rising, a special child emerging and the last battle will be fought but for now enjoy what comes next. Lots of surprises and revelations to come. To follow my rantings, see when the next chapter will be out, view outtakes of pieces that didn't make it into the story and see pictures come on over to my blog Starlight Queen's Court and become a follower. Lots of goodies to be posted over there in between chapters to tide you over. Go to **http://starlightqueenscourt(dot)blogspot(dot)com

**Please review. I need the inspiration!  
**

Chapter 20: Denial

Shock was still burning like a torch in the Cullen household. It had all happened so fast, without warning and on what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. Samara couldn't help but think it even though she knew it was selfish. So many had been lost and she knew that their screams would live inside of her for eternity and their deaths would have been in vain. Furiously she shook her head to break the insidious flow of images blinking a couple of times to clear the mist of threatening tears from her eyes. The computer lay open and humming on her lap and as she went back through information she'd already read before, none of it useful Samara's mind shifted. Without thinking she opened her email, clicked compose and began to type.

She clicked sent even though she knew he probably wouldn't read it. Phoenix had deserted them all. Her busy mind tried to put it away, desperately focused on not blaming him for what happened. She took a deep breath and dove back into the shady forum postings she'd just been reading.

It was a full hour before she surfaced with her eyes paining and her body weary. Samara felt the shift within her and knew. Before she turned she could sense him coming, smell his scent and even before she`d breathed it in he was there. Embry stood in the doorway looking so lost it nearly broke her heart. His world had just been turned upside down. Everything he thought he knew had been smoke and now that he knew the truth, now that the past had finally been brought to light so much of his life was already changing. So many of those he had loved were gone and she wanted, desperately to try and comfort him but it was he who came forward.

"You look tired" he said hollowly and strode over. She stood to try and even the ground between them completely unsure of where they stood right now. His wedding ring glinted shiny and new even through the soot and dirt he was covered in. The stench of death surrounded him like a demonic kind of halo.

"I could say the same about you. Is it done?" Samara bit her lip when his eyes flashed at the question and she realized that though she had seen the same horrors as he did she could never feel the same way about the men, women and children that had been his kin.

"We salvaged what we could and took the...the bodies to be prepared for burial" He swallowed heavily in a desperate attempt to hold back the tears. His own father had been among them and Embry had insisted upon carrying him out not that he needed to do anything more than give the word. He was the alpha now. Overnight he'd somehow become a husband, found and lost his father and been designated the Alpha over an entirely broken group of Quileutes "How is Renesmee doing?" he asked while blowing out a breath. He couldn't cry, not now.

"How do you think? She's devastated, Embry. If something like that happened to us...if you"

"Don't even think it" He whispered pulling her into a fierce embrace. He rested his cheek against her soft hair breathing in the scent of her just to feel normal again if only for a moment.

"It's all just so surreal; like a nightmare that were all stuck in"

"Always something trying to keep us apart isn't there?" Embry murmured rubbing her back as she began to cry. He had an instant flashback to their wedding when the sky had been bright and everything had been right in their world. Over her shoulder he saw the remains of her wedding dress hanging in filthy shreds against the stark white door. Now nothing was right. Embry wondered if anything would ever be right again.

"Nothing could ever keep us apart. Not my family, not the Volturi and certainly not that sick vampire wannabe king" Her voice went to smoke, all passion and fury. It reminded him just how lucky he had been. The most important person in his world was still with him "I swear I'm going to kick his ass extra hard for ruining our wedding night"

"Well you certainly told Aro just where he could stick his rules and as for our wedding night, well, there will be plenty of nights" Embry grinned and contented himself by twirling a lock of her hair around his finger. He was bone tired body, heart and soul but here with her he felt safe, comforted "Time to shower. I smell like..." he trailed off hesitant to say "Death" even though it was apt.

"I know and now you've got it all over me. Guess I'll have to shower too" Samara tried for a smile but ended up with a half-hearted grin. It seemed enough.

"Sounds perfect" Embry replied and for the first time in hours she saw a glimmer of light shimmering like a hopeful beacon in his eyes. She took his offered hand a little awkwardly and completely unsure of where this was heading. The questions were flying around in her busy brain like a buzz of bees. Did showering together somehow equal sex? Samara still wasn't sure of the ground on this matter, especially today.

_For crying out loud, get a grip on yourself. You're married now. It's probably about time he saw you naked._

Her reflections were even shouting at her now. It was slightly uncomfortable getting undressed in front of him. They had still been figuring out all of this _forever _stuff before hell came crashing through and now it seemed that things were still very up in the air.

When he was a complete gentleman in the shower, barely touching her or even looking she decided that it was not going to happen. Despite everything they had both been through she was disappointed. They were married, goddamn it. Why did it have to be ruined by the Volturi and the Brethren all in one day?

_Well I'll show Aro and the rest a thing or two_

She thought it over while she dressed taking her time in the giant closet to put something on from her quickly thrown together bridal shower. Samara chose the simple white satin nightgown with the lace trim, a gift from Bella, and teased her wet hair into some semblance of style. When she strolled back into the room Embry was already on the bed staring up at the ceiling. Even with him lying prone it still appeared like the weight of the world was pressing down on him. All her well crafted plans while she'd been dressing and all the expectations of what she might do sizzled away into the ether. Instead, she got in quietly beside him and reached down to clasp his limp hand with her own. After what seemed like forever he finally spoke.

"I never got to know him, Sammy, not really. I mean he was always a part of my world but I never knew. Shouldn't I have seen it? Shouldn't I have known he was my father?"

Samara settled her thoughts before answering. He was so distraught, blaming himself for the denial of what had been right in front of him all along.

"I think maybe some part of you might have felt it, or suspected but really how could you have known Embry? You believed what your mother told you to be the truth" Her voice was wavering but she fought it back and held firm for his sake. Embry was quiet again and then he turned to bleakly search her eyes for the utter acceptance he knew would be there.

"Just before I turned twelve everyone was getting these new bikes and I wanted one so bad. My mother, well, she just couldn't afford it on her salary and when my birthday came and there was no bike I was pissed at her" He paused a moment as if recalling the memory was painful "A few days later Billy showed up with a bike in the back of his old truck and a huge smile on his face" Embry's words started to tremble, fraying around the edges with emotion.

"It belonged to one of Jacob's older sisters but he'd repainted it, fixed it up so that it looked brand new. All these years I thought it was just my mom's way of making it up to me but now I know it was because he was...he was my dad. I can think of a million different situations over the years when Billy was there for me. Do you know what the worst part of this is? I found out last night that I had a father, a brother, sisters, fuck, nieces and nephews and now, now they're all just gone"

"Embry..." Samara began, trying to find some verse or platitude that didn't sound like utter crap but there simply wasn't one. She was helpless to keep this pain from him.

"Take me back, Samara. I need to see it again"

Stunned beyond belief, Samara turned her face to his "You can't be serious. I won't bring you back into that hell, Embry, please don't ask that of me. The best thing we can do now is move forward" Though she knew that reasoning with him was impossible she gave it her best shot.

"It's my hell and I need to go there. I wouldn't ask you if there was anything more...I...I can't move forward, until I can see it again. Everything happened so quickly and I never got a chance to really process it. I need to see him, both of them one last time before I can do what comes next. The boys, Sammy, they need a leader and I can't be that until I know" There was such pressure on him now that both Jake and Sam were gone. He was the Alpha, by blood if for no other reason. As it was he still had no idea how he was going to unite the two estranged packs for the counter strike.

Samara nodded slowly but in the back of her mind she slowly built a safe house, a place of refuge and instead of shooting him straight back into the dark she brought them to the light. He held on to her as he felt the shimmer of sunlight hit his face, then saw it in the crystal faceted faces of the Cullens sitting in the chairs before him. Beside him stood Jacob cracking some joke or another but his eyes were focused, trained on the line of trees from which his bride would come. Embry tuned it all out as he sank languidly into the memory, watched the tearfully smiling face of his mother and grinned at his sister fidgeting in the green and gold bridesmaid gown beside Kalika and Renesmee. There was music, Alice would have thought of that. It was something soft and airy that seemed to match the sounds of the birds overhead, the rustles of the wind through the trees. He felt Jacob's hand on his shoulder like a ghostly touch, bolstering him with the knowledge of a man who had been there. Idly the present crept in for merely a moment when he wondered if Jake had somehow known that he was his brother but it all disappeared the moment he saw her step lithely through the trees. Samara simply floated, it was all he could think as he watched Emmett guide her down in her simple white dress for the second time. It was no less earth shattering on replay. She'd left her shoulders bare, tucked her hair back in some sort of curly updo that left her face unframed and glowing. In her hair she wore a woven headpiece made from twined wicker and tiny little white flowers. Stunning, lovely, perfect.

Embry had never felt surer of anything as he did of his love for her right then.

When Emmett gave her a quick kiss and let her walk the rest of the way alone Samara felt it radiating from him, wanted to speed toward the emotion and him. He was gorgeous, his smile bright and his clothes simple. Her slipper clad feet however seemed more nervous than her heart. She strode slowly through the mists that were curling around her toes, swirling over the group of friends and family standing for them at the woven, willow altar. White flowers rained down over the arch where Billy Black once more presided in his traditional garb.

In the present she felt Embry's shudder, heard his thoughts in that moment as he had glanced at Billy's smiling face. How could he _not _know? With a firm hand she guided him back and they both watched in silent witness as the words were spoken, the rings exchanged.

He kissed her then as he was given leave to do and when the clapping began, rang in their ears he saw the bright red tear fall from her green eye landing daintily on the pure white rose clutch she carried. It hit the petal lying against it like a tiny ruby and that small drop seemed to catapult them into the blackness. Happiness instantly turned to the gut wrenching fear he remembered.

Embry bounded just behind Jacob who had broken off from the rest with Seth on his heels. Their only mission was to ensure that their families were okay. He broke through the trees to the wide open area where Billy's house stood and felt his heart start to knock a little harder. Going back was painful now that he knew what would be waiting for him in that room.

The door to the house was wide open and hanging from the broken top hinge. He saw through beast's eyes that the windows in the front had been broken and he scented the metallic flavour of blood in the air. The rain was milder here, all but stopped except for the slash of lightning bolting across the sky. Jacob bounded up the ramp he himself had recently rebuilt and through the door. There was his father lying on the floor with a shard of glass embedded in his chest at the top of a very long slash. They had tortured him and left him bleeding. Jacob dashed to him and nodded over to Samara. She pulled out her cell phone and dialled for Carlisle without hesitation even though she could feel the icy fingers of death clawing through the air. Embry had come to stand beside him nuzzling his snout over Billy's face in an attempt to revive him.

"Jacob?" Billy croaked weakly and Embry yipped in response.

_He doesn't have much time left Jake. The wound is too deep, he's lost too much blood _Embry's thoughts would have angered him but for the simple fact that he was right. Arguing now would only deplete the small amount of time he had left with his father.

_They'll pay for this _Jacob's voice was vicious in Embry's mind.

"My boys, you came" Billy said with a cough. The surprise of it was no less shocking now, the second time around. Blood spattered out of his mouth; a product of the internal injuries. Samara decided it might be best for her to keep a distance and so she moved to stand on the outside deck holding the vision steady. As before, Seth watched the events unfold from the doorway his amber eyes riddled with the same sadness marked in all of their gazes. "You have to know...before I go you have to know" Billy grabbed Embry by the mane and reached out for Jacob forming a kind of circle. "I loved your mother Jacob, with all my heart and soul but I made a mistake, just once. You're my son Embry. You have to know that...that I wanted to claim you" he coughed "but your mother wanted to keep it a secret and I obliged. Please don't be angry with her. She was only doing what she thought was best to protect you. I've loved you, Embry, like I love all of my children. Remember that"

Embry whined softly. Suddenly nothing was what it appeared to be and though he heard the sound of Jacob's anger ringing in his ears he couldn't register it over his own building grief.

"Jake, please" Billy begged grasping him just a little tighter when he tried to pull away. Samara was looking as she had before, in open-mouthed shock while Seth hung his snout low hearing the mixture of thoughts from Jacob and Embry as well as a call to arms from Edward. They needed to go but Seth also knew that they couldn't leave Billy. Not like this and especially not after what had just been revealed. Samara came to kneel beside Embry and stroked her cool hand over Billy's clammy forehead. She heard the faltering of his heart and knew that it would soon be over. He had only moments left. Billy looked up at her and she smiled kindly in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, she could glamour him enough to take the worst of his pain away.

Jake continued to growl beside her until Samara whipped around to shoot him one hard look. He whined like a thoroughly chastised little boy and rose off of his haunches to come closer to his father. Despite the anger, the confusion and the misery threatening to crumble his resolve Jacob knew he had to calm down for his father's sake and for the good of the pack. He could hear Leah's cries as she led them into the fight, Edward's call for help and Embry's confusion all mixed together. It was like bees buzzing in his head but he blocked it out. His only mission now was to be a good son and give his father the forgiveness he deserved. It was the last gift he would ever be able to bestow and so he decided that he would be angry later. Jacob pushed his russet snout into Billy's neck and felt the life draining away. He placed his paw in Billy's hand and watched with a resolute gaze as Embry mirrored the gesture. Billy looked up with glistening eyes and a pale smile.

"It's up to you now" he coughed "Both of you" when his eyes closed and the last breath of air had escaped his lips Jacob let out a bloodcurdling howl that shattered what was left of the windows. He took off through the door practically flying as those left in his wake stared in shock. Embry's head was still hung, his paw still lying in Billy's limp hand. Samara walked slowly over to him and stroked his furry back to convey the urgency. They had to leave, to join the battle before others were harmed.

This time she wouldn't take him to the battle.

Embry thought it was finished now that everything had gone grey before him, assumed that she would bring them back to the present where he could weep freely in her arms and take his solace there. Instead he found himself in their place, heard the tinkling sound of water hitting rock and saw the shining rainbow of colors in the mists. The grass was so lush and green here it was almost surreal with the little red and purple flowers rioting over it like some sort of artful rug. She stood across from him wearing a gauzy green dress that fluttered around her knees whimsically. He stared as she beckoned him to come out of the shadowy grey.

"You showed me our wedding to soften the blow, to show me that at least something good and pure had come out of that day. I love you for that and a million other reasons" He half whispered it, his voice building in intensity "I'm so tired, Samara. Why did you bring me here?" Embry teetered on the edge not wanting to go back but still not quite ready to move forward. Samara shrugged casually.

"You needed a private place to fall apart" It was simply put and completely apt. She was trying to help the both of them forget even if it was only for a few stolen moments. Choosing not to tell him the truth of that was her secret and in her eyes he saw the surreptitious gaze, the battle light he would never tire of. On her lips was his name spoken directly to his heart.

She drew him forward into her arms with nought but the power of her mind twining like ivy around his. If only for one night he needed her to take the control, to drive back the demons haunting him and she was prepared, literally, to move heaven and earth to do it for him.

The light around them was fading, sunset falling while they sat on the rocks curled into one another. He had wept and she had held him. No words were spoken and none were necessary here. As the sun began to plunge away from this plane Samara knew she was on the edge of something more than just the burgeoning twilight. Her mind was fastidious and already setting the scene as the light receded. Embry watched in silence as the stars began to twinkle one by one in the sky as if she were turning the switches.

A gentle breeze fluttered the trees that had never lost their leaves to the ravages of fall or felt the icy touch of winter. This place was untouched, as virginal as the clean white spread on the bed that had appeared in the middle of dewy grass. The only light was from the moon, full and high amongst the stars like the crown jewel. Its light glittered over her cheeks, into her sparkling eyes.

To lose himself with her, surrounded by all of this dark beauty fading away into a place that knew no pain, no loss was all he wanted. Embry brushed his fingertips down her porcelain skin thrilling them both when she shuddered. His breath was warm against her cool skin inciting little fires all over her skin as he leaned in to place his lips on the subtle curve of her shoulder tracing a path up to her mouth. It was a gentle kind of welcoming and when she yielded to him the kiss went way beyond passion or pain, bliss or misery. His hands were greedy and she thrilled in his revelry when clever fingers slid cloth away to expose flesh. Samara floated on the keen edge of sensation as his busy mouth once more went to work. Embry nuzzled his face into her breast teasingly before he let his lips clasp over her straining nipple. Her throaty and broken moan registered over and over like an echo in his ears spurring him further. He was delighted to feel the anxiety he hadn't expected ball into his chest. This time it mattered.

When his free hand slid the dress down to pool at her feet there was no protest, nothing more to keep them apart.

"You'll never know how beautiful you are to me, how precious or special but I promise, Samara, I'll try to show you every moment of every day" Embry spoke reverently as if it were the first time he had ever seen her and sealed this vow with a kiss.

Samara's nerves were in full swing, her body was a live wire, her soul straining as if it wanted to be freed. She swept him with her gaze, eyes already gone to smoke and when she spoke, despite the sudden twinge of fear, her voice was even.

"I never thought that anyone would see me the way you do, for exactly who I am, and love me despite it. You are the only person in the whole universe who gets me and I know that because I get you too, Embry. We were created for each other" She spoke quietly all the while undoing the buttons on his shirt. It slid over the ridge of his toughened shoulders, down over the muscles that brought the sting of lust back into her belly. It crept through her quietly as he laid her back against the pillows, swept through her hotly when he trailed a hand down and fired straight through her when he slid a finger inside.

Her eyes were wide now, watching him even as he watched her. He saw the parting of her lips and felt the escaping moan flutter through him like a heady vibration. Slowly, ever so gently he raised her up to that first peak and saw those velvety green pools turn transparent. The rush of sensation startled her and steadied her. Caught in the onslaught she pulled his face down to hers moaning even as his lips locked onto hers. They moved together like that for what seemed like ages.

Busy hands quested; lips came together, fell apart and came together again. The moonlight shimmered over the two bodies twining together, rolling over the satiny spread each of them desperate to discover more. All the blocks and all the barriers that had kept them apart were gone now, bulldozed away in the wake of their joy.

Embry held her close, gracing her fair brow with a feather light kiss. This is what they had waited for; this moment when they would no longer be separate entities. Samara opened for him and felt the first tremble of a soul breaking free when his body settled and fit into hers. His eyes locked on hers, swamped by the rush of anticipation radiating from them both. Their hands clasped together where wedding rings shone in the steady shimmer of moonlight. He slid inside her easily, breaking the last barrier between them. An unsteady breath shuddered out of her but her eyes stayed locked on his even when he began to move within her.

All the nervous energy, the fear and trepidation fell away as she rose and he fell. Their moans and cries echoed back with the sound radiating around them like their own personal chant.

Samara was lost in the sweetness of a caress or the gentleness that was like a second skin to him. She rose to meet his careful thrusts taking more and giving in the same measure. She was barely able to keep this dimension steady and in the onslaught it began to fall around them. Stars fell like tinsel around them where the earth beneath trembled and quaked. Embry's lips nuzzled her neck as he felt the shift inside his heart. Somehow, no matter the plight they had finally made it to this last plateau love had to offer them. They were no longer two bodies moving rhythmically but two souls sharing one space.

Her eyes flashed and her lips parted on a cry that sent a violent shudder through him. The primal need took them both over and when she crested, when her legs wound around him he gave himself over to sensation. Eyes locked, hands braced they held one another madly as the waves crashed over them and through them both. Falling over the edge of this world, they floated through the darkness, into the fiery white light and when they came back to reality, smiled.

It was dark and terribly chilly in the dank place where his shifts of consciousness finally brought him alert or maybe he was cold. It was hard to tell since he'd woken to the screaming pain that seemed to sear through him like icy daggers. His hands gripped and tore into the packed earth of his prison as a fresh wave of that pain sluiced over his skin. He felt as if there were bugs crawling all over him, through his blood. He huffed out a breath through clenched teeth and opened his eyes. Though there was no light here he could somehow see every mote of dust, every dark corner of the earthen room he was locked into. The door was solid steel and when he finally found the strength to crawl his way over to it he found it impossible to budge. There were sounds of water running and so he knew that he must be held captive near some body of running water. Dirty and broken he lay back against the cool stone wall and wanted to weep. It wasn't from the pain even though it was formidable or from the utter certainty that something wild and wicked was shifting about in his insides like the slither of snakes. He felt the build up of tears threatening to spill but found that he was suddenly unable to cry so he whispered her name into the darkness like a prayer.

"Renesmee"


	21. Anger

**_Author's Note: This one gave me a boatload of trouble. I'm going to go ahead and say that writer's block was a mild word for what I went through to bring this one forth. Since it's been sooooo long, let's have a quick recap, shall we?_**

**_Phoenix left to figure out the origins of his birth after realizing there may be Quileute in his blood  
_**

**_Seth is in love with Aurora even though her heart still foolishly belongs to Phoenix_**

**_Corbin sent an army to attack the Cullen's on Samara and Embry's wedding day_**

**_Sam Uley is dead, Embry is Billy's son, Jacob is believed to be dead (but is he really?)_**

**_All of this makes Embry the only logical Alpha_**

**_and now.......enjoy. Please comment even if you don't think I deserve it. I will finish this story even if it KILLS me!!!  
_**

Chapter 21 - Anger

For the first time in a long time, the house was quiet. It was almost eerie to sit there in the awakening light of dawn and hear absolutely no sound. Edward mulled it over while he sat with Esme looking not at him but staring straight through him. She was like a ghost or more like an effigy of her former self sitting in what would appear to the casual observer as a relaxed state. He knew better.

Crippled by a loss so great it was clearly unbearable she stayed locked in the same statuesque position.

Edward felt a hand curl over his shoulder in comfort but today even his wife wouldn't be able to shield them from this pain. Bella leaned over him, sat on the arm of the chair and reached her free hand out to touch Esme's knee. There was no response.

"Has she spoken at all?" Rosalie asked breaking free from Emmett's affectionate hold on her. The majority of the Cullens had gathered after the crisis and it seemed that everyone was there searching for comfort, for answers or just to share in the grief.

"No, not at all; I can't hear her thoughts anymore either" Edward answered quietly still trying to figure out how they would bring their mother back from this. It seemed impossible.

"It's like the lights are on, but nobody's home" Emmett chimed in waving a hand over her face in a gesture that would have been comical if the situation was not quite so dire.

"She's gone beyond even _my_ reach" Jasper sighed in frustration while Alice began to sob tearlessly.

"Esme isn't really gone. I believe it's just her way of coping. She's gone into the depths of her own mind. In medical circles it would be called catatonia" Aurora wiped her palms over her battle torn, bloodied black pants and stood. Talan shifted uncomfortably on the sofa while Kalika sat cradling his head "The salve should help with the burns although it's never actually been tested on vampires" Aurora watched as Kalika silently mouthed a "Thank you" to her and then looked meaningfully over at Tristan.

Kalika suppressed the violent shudder that tried to ripple its way through her when the memory of her lover engulfed in a fiery blaze shot back. If it hadn't been for Tristan and his resistance to the flame Talan might be counted among the dead. He would be scarred but he would live.

Bella tilted her head over to see a weary looking Aurora, the only human left standing in this room full of vampires. Obviously the girl was tougher than any of them had given her credit for. She had stood with them and fought when most mortals would have run, tended the wounded, both vampire and Quileute throughout the long night. It was puzzling for Bella to look at the girl and be reminded of who she had been once; human. More, was the slight annoyance that the girl seemed to know so much about the predicament of a woman she knew so little while the rest of them, Esme's own family, were lost. It made the words come out of her mouth in a foreign, acidic tone.

"How could you possibly know that?"

"How do we bring her back?" Edward's stony voice rang clear even over his wife's indignation. It didn't matter how they got her back as long as it was done...and soon. Aurora pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment and rubbed at her eyes to clear the blur of sleep.

_Miles to go... _She thought borrowing the quote from one of her favourite poems.

Her eyes were braced with Bella's. Despite the shadows forming under them and the utter look of exhaustion there was a quiet strength flickering.

"It's what I would do, Bella, if it were the love of _my _life. I wouldn't want to face a life where Phoe..._that _person" she amended quickly "Wasn't in it" She turned her gaze to Edward's worried visage.

"A mind walk might help. I've seen it done several times in situations where a person was either comatose or in a catatonic state from a traumatic experience"

Effectively answering both questions she knew the burden of trust was hers now. They would have to believe in her if she was to pull it off.

"Have you ever done this before?" Edward questioned voicing what everyone else was already screaming with their thoughts.

"No but I know the ritual very well"

"You look so tired, Aurora. You need sleep and a proper meal not a draining ritual" Tristan chastised grabbing her by the arm as if in restraint. He knew all too well what this particular area of the craft could do to even the most powerful of witches.

"I can help. I'd like to help her" She stepped forward with an air of finality wrenching her arm free from her brother's steely grasp.

Jasper stepped forward and while his body language conveyed strength his eyes were full of worry.

"Are you sure that this is the best course of action?" He murmured in that quietly stoic tone.

"It's going to be fine" Alice finally spoke up "I can see it" What she didn't say was what it would most certainly cost Aurora. Grief and desperation kept her from acknowledging that particular piece of the puzzle. Edward suddenly cocked his head up at his sister but quickly set his face in a grimace. Alice was right. The cost was so little compared to what might happen if nobody tried.

"Just do it. Bring her back, please, make her come back" Completely oblivious to Alice and Edward's little byplay Rosalie pleaded on a sob. Aurora nodded and began to steel herself for the journey ahead of her. She knew it would not be easy. From behind her she heard Tristan's quiet "Don't" but kept striding towards the chair where the ever graceful Esme sat staring blankly into space. As an afterthought, she turned and shot Tristan her trademark saucy grin.

"Have a little faith, brother"

All the fatigue and the worry, the sheer doubt seemed to slide away leaving her feeling raw and blank. Touched beyond belief that he would try she looked over at Jasper but shook her head. It wasn't the time for her to be calm. She needed that keen edge to keep her focused. He nodded.

She sat in the chair that Edward vacated hesitantly and wished quietly for her tools.

"You don't need them" he whispered softly into her ear giving her shoulder a bolstering squeeze. Somehow his belief in her was the final thread she needed to prepare. Just to know that they were behind her, an unlikely group of vampires, was enough.

Taking a deep breath she leaned back in the chair and murmured something in a language that only Tristan would understand. For awhile nobody dared to move or speak. It was as if they were all in fear that the slightest noise or movement would screw things up even further. The only sign that anything had changed after nearly half an hour had passed was the clear beads of sweat breaking out on Aurora's brow.

"Is it working? They're just sitting there staring at one another" Emmett whispered in Rosalie's ear.

"It takes time. Aurora has to pick her way through what Esme is seeing, what she is experiencing to figure out the reason for her..._absence_" Tristan's arms were crossed over his chest. It was the only thing keeping him from rushing forward to shake his sister out of the fugue. It was taking far too long and he could feel her sliding deeper out of his reach.

"I wonder what she sees in there"

Kalika's voice was only a dim reminder of the present where she belonged but Aurora clung fastidiously to it as she dug into the darkness. It was proving more difficult to penetrate the mind of a vampire than she had expected while trying to stay tethered to the outside. She realized that in order to go where Esme was hiding she would have to let go and though it was terrifying she had given her word.

The darkness enveloped her and when she slumped over in the chair Tristan rushed forward, chanting furiously through his teeth in a desperate attempt to drag her back.

"What happened? Is she okay?" Bella's frantic voice sounded very far away.

"Stubborn girl" Tristan murmured directly into her ear knowing she was already gone.

It was cold in the sparse room she found herself in. Aurora could tell that she was in a very distant part of the past from the old furniture and the strange smells of antiseptic. The air around her shimmered in sparks and her movements here were slow as if she were trapped in something sticky.

It was a memory she was seeing. Of that much she was certain. Esme lay in a sterile hospital bed limp and sallow. When Carlisle turned back the curtain and leaned down over her she didn't even flinch. He laid his fingers gently on her wrist and after a few moments, shook his head. She was going to die and for a moment, before he'd truly looked at her she was just another unfortunate young woman. Then Esme opened her eyes and he saw something more than just a broken young woman. Aurora felt almost intrusive as she watched love bloom like jasmine in the night through the angelic man.

"Most of us are born, not made. I didn't know it then but this was when my life really began. He forged me that day" Esme's quietly beautiful voice rang from behind her and when Aurora turned she saw another Esme, the perfectly poised vampire standing there watching her human self with a wry smile.

"He loved you, instantly" Aurora saw the corners of her pretty mouth turn up, watched her eyes glimmer a brilliant gold.

"And I him. He whispered to me, just before the bite. I remember thinking he must be an angel or God" she giggled in a girly way that seemed odd coming from the ever serene Esme.

Carlisle's voice echoed in the space as if he were speaking the words directly to them.

"Lie still. No matter what happens or how much it hurts you have to be still"

Aurora turned her eyes away from the strangely intimate scene playing out before her to see Esme's eyes keenly watching, a quiet smile upon her lips.

"The burning was terrible, unbearable. I laid quiet in my deathbed and thought of him. When the venom eased and I finally woke up I found my life to be very...different" Esme used her hands as she spoke conversationally about the event that had irrevocably changed her very existence.

"Was it all worth it? I mean..." Aurora dropped her animated hands uselessly to her sides. Esme merely continued to beam at her, a flicker of humour dancing through the gold.

"You want to know because of how you feel for my grandson. You want to be changed as I was by the man you love" The statement was as wise as the woman "As a human I lost a child and when I woke there he was, my Edward. Our Phoenix is a lot like his uncle and just like his uncle he loves what he believes to be off limits"

"I'm not sure I believe that anymore especially after all that's happened"

Sadness swept across that lovely porcelain face and yet she reached out for Aurora's limp hand.

"If there's anything we Cullens have learned it's that true love always finds its way. You've done what you could and let him go off to fight his demons. No matter how dark his path Phoenix always finds a way back to what's right"

The lights in the dim hospital room shifted, wavered Aurora's vision to that of a comfortable looking home. Carlisle's delighted laughter rang through the small living space with its ancient brick fireplace, cozy sofa and battered black piano. Edward sat on the bench wearing a jacket that could only have been fashionable at a costume party playing only a few bars before dropping his hands in frustration. Esme was beside Carlisle curled up and listening to the playful banter between father and son. Her hair was bound up in a curly sort of twist leaving her face unframed, her eyes gleaming.

"You'll never finish the song like that, son" His grin was wide, softly teasing.

"At least I can manage to bang out something other than a hackneyed version of chopsticks" Edward muttered in a near whisper. There was something dynamic about this moment but Aurora was as yet unsure of what it was so she continued to watch.

"Yes, well. I suppose we can't all have the capacity for musical genius" the muttered reply wasn't what did it, nor was the sound of Edward's next attempt to play the song. Aurora watched Esme rise slowly, saw the shift from woman to mother.

She laid a delicate hand on his shoulder and in her manner there was such pride, such immense love Aurora had to imagine that Edward had felt swamped by it. The melody that played out after that was easy and heartbreakingly sweet. Carlisle watched from his chair as if spellbound and when the last note faded out he smiled.

"I think I'm beginning to understand. He gave you more than life, Carlisle gave you a family" Aurora whispered as the image faded out. The light around them was blinding now and pure as Esme's own heart.

"Yes. He gave me what I would never have had in my human life. This is the day I became a mother" she replied simply while an actual tear slipped down her cheek. One slender hand held fast to her still heart as if it could actually beat. It seemed there were none of the usual vampire restrictions in this part of the mind where everything was brilliant.

"They're all waiting for you, Esme. Don't you think it's time to go back to your family?" The subtle nudge was met with a wistful frown.

"My children have gone and made their own families, built their own lives and I love them, you know I do but..." Her voice trickled away as darkness began to creep like a fetid snake. It coiled around their feet, shivered around the space almost like a portal. The veil between the two spaces was paper thin and Aurora looked on in horror as she saw the flames, the spilled blood and heard the screams from the night before.

"NO!" Esme's cries were echoes "I can't go back there. Please don't let it take me back" and just like that the screams died away and the darkness gave way to a sight that confused Aurora beyond measure. It was the morning of Samara and Embry's wedding, the morning when she and Seth had argued. Aurora remembered with painful clarity how it had felt to watch him walk out on her. The faint haze that clouded most of the sights Esme's mind had taken them faded away until everything was clear and so realistic Aurora began to feel like she was in the same room with herself.

Seth stood watching her sleep as the first glint of sunlight washed across the floor of Renesmee's old room. He was clearly troubled and it showed in the wild hair tousled in frustration, the way his fists were clenched at his sides almost as if ready for a brawl but mostly it was etched into his expression. She remembered how she'd cried herself to sleep only a few hours earlier and how she'd done the same every evening since the night Phoenix left. Seth stayed with her through it all, every night but Aurora had never really thought about what it cost him until now.

"This is my memory. How am I seeing this?" Esme walked to the chair in the corner of the room and sat daintily. Seth didn't even blink "It's not good if you can see inside my mind"

"No it's not" Esme replied simply with a sigh in her voice "He doesn't know I'm here in case you were wondering. I suppose our minds are linked now. It was easier for me to face one of your memories than go back to mine" She frowned and still Esme managed to look completely serene "I heard you arguing that morning as I was walking down the hallway and my first instinct was to go and talk to you like I would any of my children but Carlisle, well, he told me to stay out of it"

"I wish you would have, come and talked to me I mean"

"Me too" Esme replied and watched Seth as he watched Aurora tossing in tortured slumber. She watched herself wake exactly as she had before, from the same cruel nightmare.

_Shh It's alright. You're safe now. I've got you._

His arms had gathered her up even before she'd fully woken and for a moment, just a small fraction of time Aurora had thought he was Phoenix. As always though when the clouds of sleep cleared, the realization and the disappointment muddled together like acrid soup in her belly.

"If you'd had a choice, Esme would you have chosen the life Carlisle gave you?" Even as she watched Seth hold her close, heard the comforting murmur of his words Aurora couldn't help but think of Phoenix.

"If I had to do it all over again, a hundred different ways I would always say yes but that's not what you're asking me is it?" Esme trained her lovely golden eyes over her shoulder to peer at Aurora "What you really want to ask me is what would I choose were I you"

Aurora bit her lip.

"I love Seth. I do and he hasn't run away from me yet, he loves me too but even though Phoenix is gone there's a giant part of me that belongs to him. I wish the choice didn't have to be one or the other. Seth or Phoenix, life or death; it's all so damn frustrating"

"I can't answer that for you, darling. The only piece of advice I can give you is the simplest. Do what makes the most sense for you and follow your heart at the same time" Esme chucked softly "I suppose that's just as conflicting. I'm not much help I'm afraid"

"I just don't understand why Phoenix finds it so difficult to change me when it was so easy for Carlisle. It wasn't even a difficult decision for him. He knew he had to have you and so he did what he had to do"

"Ah I see; you think because he won't turn you that he mustn't love you? I think we both know that's untrue. Seth cares very deeply for you in the way of his kind" she gestured toward the memory of Seth holding onto Aurora.

"That morning he asked me why I couldn't let it go. Why I was still so upset about Phoenix leaving. I told him it was nothing and he proposed, Esme. He actually thought that asking me to marry him would change things, make me happy again. I was so shocked that I asked him for more time to think it through and that's how the argument began" Aurora watched it all unfold exactly as she's said. Watched him stalk out of the room and saw one thing she hadn't seen before; the dejected look on his face, the anger in his eyes. His body shook with the force of it even as Seth resisted the urge to slam her door.

Deliberately, Aurora pushed the memory away knowing that her time was growing short. This was something she would deal with later. For now she had to get Esme out of this loop and back to reality before they were both stuck in this loop of memories.

A dark fog began to swirl around their bare feet undulating as if it were alive. This last memory was demanding to be seen and suddenly Esme's calm disappeared and she was frantic at the sight of battle going on behind the thin smoky veil. It was as if she had gone from serene to insane in a finger snap.

"You can't go back there" Aurora all but screamed it. She grabbed Esme's hand in desperation knowing that to open that door would put them both at considerable risk.

"I have to go to him. He needs me. You of all should understand what it's like to be apart from that one person who makes you feel whole" She took a step forward brushing off Aurora's hand as if it were a mere annoyance. Resigned, she followed Esme into the void and they both watched as the battle wore on.

Vampires were everywhere, tearing through a community of terrified humans as if they were paper dolls. Throats were being ripped into by seemingly ravenous monsters, fires burned and the sounds of breaking glass were all around them. The wolves came first, tearing through the trees in a steady pack of coloured fur and gleaming teeth. Same led them while the rest fanned out in a row of menacing beasts. They leapt into the fray as if it had all been choreographed with some of them breaking off in different directions. Sam, nearly invisible against the moonless night watched them all and seemingly satisfied leaned back on his haunches, bared his lethal teeth and flew down over the gentle slope into the meadow that was now a battlefield. Aurora cringed as the first furry mass went flying from a vampire's backhand. More of the enemy vampires charged in suddenly unconcerned with the bloody mass of screaming people.

It had all been a ploy, bait to bring the Quileute boys running.

Chaos was everywhere with wolves and vampires alike waging war. The hearty, melancholic sound of Jacob's howl broke through the din an instant before he charged. It seemed as if he was possessed snapping and snarling toward a trio of vampires. Embry leapt in over a wide tree trunk with the same fervour Samara coming close behind. The rest followed Seth last with Leah already battling beside Sam. She saw her brother rush in hands already blazing. Tristan grabbed one of the enemy vampires by the neck, turning him about violently. Aurora had never seen her brother act so vicious before and let the shock run freely when he simply ripped its head off in one vile twist. The Cullen's came in from the other side of the clearing, now set ablaze acting with the grace of familiarity. This wasn't the first battle they'd been in.

Emmett and Jasper, back to back fought a bevy of them leaving only a mess of parts in their wake while Samara used her own skills to incapacitate another. Aurora watched her sister, Piper shift into cat form midair to land on the back of a female vampire. Rose stood firm against an onslaught of them with Bella holding a shield firm on the sidelines. Her eyes though focused on her task never left Edward as he twisted and turned, raking and tearing at the stony fleshed creatures.

She herself stood in the center of things, arms raised to the sky as a group of their enemy walked deftly toward her. To them she appeared to be a defenceless human and it had been that advantage she wanted. Aurora watched herself wait until the positioning was just right and then saw her own lips smirk as the bolts of lightning rained down. Like boulders against an electric strike their faces and limbs cracked apart. Some of them simply crumpled into dust before her while the survivors of the attack howled in agony.

On the vampire side of things there was fluidity and grace whilst Aurora could see that the wolves used their strength and ferocity to tip the scales. The two strategies were working but it was clear to see from her now bird's eye view that the disconnect between the two groups is what had lost this fight.

It was like a middle school dance where all the boys stood on one side and the girls on the other. No symmetry. If she ever got back to reality it would be the first thing she and Edward would chat about.

Things quickly began to escalate and knowing what was close at hand Aurora groped for Esme's hand. The first casualty came unexpectedly yet she remembered with perfect clarity Tristan's frightened, helpless cry and he saw the vampire backing Leah up against a giant blaze, sword in hand. At the sound Seth, Samara, Piper and Talan all rushed in, each one already knowing it would be too late. Talan came from the left dashing through the flames but it was Sam, a giant mass of black that leaped through the wall of flame at the exact moment the vampire swung his sword taking the full brunt of its blade. Leah rolled over the ground and into Seth while Tristan rushed through the smoke and the fire to pull Talan free. It was Leah's howl that turned the tide as she dashed over to rend the vampire who had murdered Sam, her first love. Her fur black from soot and blood she ripped and tore into the creature effectively killing him. The sword clattered to the ground beside the limp black wolf. Jacob already sat beside him looking to Leah with despair. Confusion settled over the pack sending the Quileute into a state of obvious panic. The insanity had distracted most of them and that's when it would happen.

"Nobody saw it coming" Esme whispered as if in an even deeper trance than she already was "Least of all me"

They both watched as Esme fought with her back to her husband. Carlisle had gotten distracted for just a moment while the bedlam across the field played out and that tiny second of time would be the end of his very long life. Somehow instinctively Esme turned with her pretty sable hair, matted with blood and ash swinging to see her husband take a fatal blow.

"I didn't believe it at first. I thought maybe I had been mistaken, that he would get up and take that nasty creature out but he didn't" She watched herself fall to the ground while Aurora focused on the downward spiral that would soon occur. In all of the distraction, the sheer commotion the fresh band of brethren vampires seemed to appear from nowhere at all. They skimmed the battlefield with an air of purpose hefting the dead carcasses of wolves off into the woods.

"Get the red one. He's the one Corbin wants" A tall and stately raven haired vampire declared.

As before Aurora stared in horror as the brethren converged on Jacob. Each of them jumped, teeth bared until there was no sign of Jake under the bodies of ravenous vampires. While Renesmee screamed and kicked against her Father's hold, her husband's lifeless body was carted off along with the others. Emmett, Jasper, and Rose leapt forward with Alice and the few of the wolves left standing but they were already gone, fading into some sort of portal a tiny young girl was channelling and then it was over. The stench of smoke and death hung heavy in the ruins of a once lovely meadow. Realization hit the family fast as Esme`s piercing screams tore through the abruptly silent midnight sky. Ash fell like confetti over them all as they rushed to the side of their maker, their mentor, and their father. Edward`s face simply turned to gargoyle like stone.

Aurora watched herself leaning over to find any signs of life or to discern if there was anything that could be done though she knew it was futile. There were so many others who would need her help laying injured and dying in this wasteland created by evil forces, most of them innocent and confused civilians. Carlisle was gone and now she was all that was standing between the living, the near death and the abyss.

She was getting caught up in the memory, so much so that it was beginning to feel as if the two realities were merging. The veil behind them was starting to thicken. Aurora had to get Esme back and immediately or they were both going to be stuck in this horrid place.

"We have to go back. Esme, we have to go" Aurora's hand brushed over Esme's shoulder and to her shock went straight through the woman as if she were made of smoke.

"I can't leave him alone. He didn't leave me to die and now it's my turn. This is _my _choice"

"There's nothing you can do for him now. He's already gone" Aurora's pleading voice fell upon deaf ears as Esme reached up to pat her cheek affectionately.

"It's never the end when you love someone deeply. Someday you'll understand why I have to do this" She continued to relate what she wanted each of her children to know while Aurora listened and watched the near impossible happen. Carlisle strode towards them a even more angelic version of himself and strangely human looking with a blush in his cheeks and eyes as blue as lake water.

Esme turned as if she had been waiting her whole life for him and reached out to take the hand Carlise offered her, both of them grinning as if they knew some cosmic secret the rest of the world was not privy to. It was the woman from the first vision Esme had taken her to now that held her husband`s hand. Her golden eyes had changed to a muted green with little flecks of brown around the rim, her face blooming rich with color. The air around them all but shimmered, brilliantly washing away the decaying ground to reveal what it once was. Grass grew green and tiny violet flowers pushed their way up through. The sky was blue and the sound of weeping and flame was replaced by the chatter of birds.

With a smile Esme leaned in to rest her warm lips on Aurora's cheek.

"Thank you for trying"

They held each other close and as Carlisle and Esme strolled through the carpet of flowers Aurora allowed herself a moment to capture the memory before she went back through the veil. She could only hope it would be enough to get her back where she belonged. When she breached the veil, she felt her soul thrust brutally back into her earthly form and her body, weak with exhaustion, collapsed.

It was bright in his dreams, calm and warm. Her laughter tinkled in his ear as she swayed with him to the music echoing around them. Jacob nuzzled his face into her neck breathing in the effortlessly sweet scent of her hair, feeling the softness of her skin beneath his hands and the weight of her head on his shoulder. The song was one of his favourites and for a moment he let himself drift, forgetting the reality that this was merely a dream. It was only a reprieve from the searing agony that waited in that cold, dark cage.

Renesmee's lips skimmed his neck in an intimate gesture that had his blood going hot. Her eyes, the color of auburn whiskey seared into his with a look he knew all too well. His girl was ravenous and not only just for food.

The impulse to kiss her was strong and when their lips met, the heat that smashed down on them could have burned them both to cinder. The pace was frantic, their actions fluid as they groped for one another in the sunlit room they'd made their bedroom.

Renesmee's sudden burst of laughter was unexpected, kind of puzzling and when Jacob finally realized the reason for it he too couldn't help but chuckle. His hands skimmed down from the possessive grip he'd held on her breasts to lay upon the heavy mound of her belly. Beneath her skin he felt the urgent little kicks and joy swelled his heart.

"I believe our boy objects" Renesmee snorted and placed her hand gently over Jacob's, uniting them as a family "He'll be here soon"

"I can't wait" He replied softly before brushing a chaste kiss over her brow "He's going to have your eyes, your heart"

"and your strength" She added meaningfully.

The smile she'd worn fell into a frown and a bloody tear tracked down her face. It dripped like vile paint over the bare bump of her stomach "I can't do this without you, Jake. You have to fight no matter what. Fight for me, for us" Renesmee clutched Jacob's hand tighter to her.

"I don't know if I'm strong enough"

"You are" She insisted with an urgency that staggered him "You have to come back to us or everything we know will be lost" Her voice was beginning to fade and the reality was beginning to creep around the edges of the dream. He was waking, losing her once again. He vowed to himself that it wouldn't be for good.

"I promise I'm coming home to you sweet girl. I love you, Renesmee" Quickly he laid his lips on hers and as the dream began to fade he heard her whispered reply.

"Always, Jake. I'll always love you"

This time when he came out of the fugue he was alert, instantly. His eyes were wide, his mind fastidiously trying to figure an escape. The cold didn't seem to bother him now. Not as much as before and everything felt more heightened. His senses were screaming, his vision clear, his hearing acute and when he moved to the heavy door it was with a speed he hadn't been used to in his human form. Phasing was not possible here. Jacob had tried that and failed. What he had become was impossible to comprehend but he would have to figure it out before anything else could be done. The tiny slot held closed with bars afforded him a tiny window with which to see the outer surroundings of the cage.

Were there others like him? Were there other Quileute that had been forced into this new form?

"So many questions" Jacob had heard that stately voice before "What a busy little brain you have" The tall man who stepped out of the shadows was not a man at all, at least not anymore. His hair was a shoulder-length fall of silky wheat just brushing the collar of his black shirt. He looked like a Viking, chiselled and pale.

"Corbin" Jacob seethed, trying to pack as much hatred as possible into that one name.

"A fan? I never would have guessed but then you are the leech lover after all aren't you Jacob Black?" The smile was there turning up the corners of his thin lips but his eyes were lethal, calculating.

Jacob remained silent for a moment.

"I'm not fan of yours but you sure do seem to be awfully _invested _in me. I mean I'm guessing you don't make an appearance to every one of your prisoners" A long shot was better than no shot at all.

"You must think yourself to be awfully clever trying to get me to reveal if there are more survivors here. Tsk tsk" Corbin waved a finger in front of the cage as if to chastise "Clever mongrel"

"What have you done to me? Why did I survive?" Jacob wasn't entirely sure he wanted the answers but he knew that he _needed _the answers.

"You live still because it is your destiny _and_ because I allow it" The sheer nonchalance in his voice was irritating.

"What do you want from me?"

"Oh would you look at that? I have pressing matters to attend to. I should really be going but before I do I should really tell you..." Corbin leaned in to the bars inclining his head and twisting his face into a sickening grin "I'm going to rip that baby out of your disgusting hybrid wife and then I'm going to watch with the utmost pleasure while she dies"

The life simply drained from Jacob's body to be replaced by a vicious and seething anger. He snarled like an animal, beat his fists against the door and howled even as the leader of the Brethen walked slowly away whistling the tune to the song he and Renesmee had been dancing to in the dream.

When the door to the dungeon closed Jacob looked down to see the blood trickling over his hands from beating against the iron doors. With surprise he watched the cuts heal closed leaving only the smears of blood.

This time when he slumped to the hard ground made of packed earth he didn't weep or cringe. This time he began to plot.


	22. Bargaining

**Author's Note: **_The third installment in the series of flashbacks dealing with the battle. This one is told from Leah's perspective and starts with the day after. She flashes back to the morning of the wedding and then comes back to the present when Tristan gets back. Just a quick explanation in case anyone gets confused. More to come...It's been a busy summer for me though!_

It was cold back at the cottage but Leah wasn't feeling it. It was difficult to feel anything but the shock or the numbness of fear and grief. The misery was marked in the faces of every one of the Quileute people that had come through the little house. Through the night it had been a refuge for the injured and a haven for those helping to find survivors or identify the dead. Leah herself had hauled people back here where Aurora and Piper had taken care of wounds, triaged those in need of a hospital and pronounced dead those who were too far gone. As dawn broke it seemed that the worst might finally be passed and so Leah had turned to the one thing she knew how to do better than anyone. She cooked. It wasn't fancy but it fed the men and women who had worked through the night to save what could be saved and to put to rest what could not. Jacob was gone, a thought nobody relished and though she hated to admit it, Leah felt for Renesmee and even Bella. She'd watched Embry; the new leader of the pack, come back battered and filthy but it was Seth's return that had finally done her in. Her little brother had come to her and grimly handed her a familiar silver medallion. In the face of those watching, Tristan included, she had hidden the pain and tucked the token with its broken chain into her jeans pocket.

Now that they had left and the place was put back into some semblance of order Leah trudged wearily up the rickety steps. As she walked down the hall she noticed Piper already face down and asleep in one of the rooms and quietly made her way to Tristan's. She eyed the bed and considered simply falling into the ocean of pillows and letting sleep have her as Piper was doing. She frowned. The medal in her pocket was suddenly as heavy as her guilt and so she sat on the edge of the mattress instead.

Gingerly Leah picked the small piece of silver with the etched design out of her pocket. Tears slipped down her cheeks before she'd even realized they were coming. It was Sam's medal lying in her palm still warm from her body heat. The one she'd given him so many years ago when they'd been young and so in love. It had been before the change that ruined everything for her, before he'd left her for Emily. Leah wasn't sure how to feel knowing that all those years he'd kept it but she sure as hell knew how to feel about how he had died.

Guilty.

It had been meant for her, that big, ugly, vampire was gunning straight for her and in the split second it was happening, Leah had been ready to accept her death.

Sam hadn't been.

He'd barged in snarling and knocked her out of the way settling himself to a fate Leah would never have chosen for him. She loved him, the bastard, or at least she _had _loved him at one point.

Oh, how easy things could change. For as long as Leah could remember she'd grieved for her childhood sweetheart, longed to feel his breath on her cheek, feel his arms hugging her tight just once more. Now he truly was gone and it was her fault.

In more ways than one.

Leah lay back on the bed letting her tangled mop of hair rain over the clean bedspread. She watched the sunlight glitter over the silver piece of metal but through the holes in the design she saw Tristan's shirt hanging over a chair. It was the dark blue one that he'd worn the morning of the wedding, the morning they'd gone on patrol.

It all came flashing back to flood Leah with a fresh wave of guilt and grief. She began to wonder if all this wasn't karmic payback for what she had allowed to happen less than a day before. Tightly she closed her eyes as if to ward off the flood of images but unable to sleep, she played the memory over in her head. Tristan's voice echoed in her mind exactly as it had then. Irritated and pissed.

* * *

"You don't have to follow me around like some wayward child Leah. I think I can manage to handle this assignment on my own" Tristan spoke in quiet disgust, each word deliberate and like a separate aimed bullet. His jet black hair flew back in the wind showing off almost liquid, red eyes gone to hard points. He had never been the type to yell or use his fists when he was angry but since the change, and with Leah suddenly nagging at him, his anger was starting to get the better of him.

"I know you can, It's just that...well...you've never faced one of them before" Leah returned with pleading eyes. How could she make him understand just how much she needed him to be safe? How she would hate herself if something were to happen to him and she wasn't there to help. He had asked her to help him after all and whether he wanted her to or not, she would damn well help him. With long graceful strides Tristan almost seemed to glide toward the tree framed opening on the old dirt road.

"I've been training for weeks now. I think I can handle the one lousy vampire Jasper asked me to look out for. You aren't my bloody guardian, you know"

"You're still new to all of this Tristan. Jasper would rip my throat out if you did something stupid out here. There are humans crawling all over this forest" His low growl was better than a swipe and managed to be both annoyed and sneering at the same time.

"I said I was fine and fine I am, beast princess" It was really more of a tease than an insult but the word "beast" always made her feel like she was so much less a woman.

"Fine then!" she cried "If you insist upon acting like a spoiled child then go on, have at it" Tristan's moods swings were grating on her nerves. Leah crossed her arms over her chest while striding to the end of the path.

The house was coming into view. It was a dilapidated old structure with broken windows and a sagging porch. It looked as if it had once been a sturdy cabin, as if it had once been bright and welcoming. Decaying brambles climbed up over the stone foundation and wildflowers riddled the grass in crazy blooms. The remains of a rusted iron gate creaked as Tristan pushed it open. When he stepped on the stone path a feeling washed over him and he could suddenly sense that something about this place was wrong. Nobody had been here in ages. He stopped and turned to see Leah standing back where he'd left her with her hair flying wildly in the wind. Her face was drawn as if she were upset but trying not to show it. With one look he conveyed the predicament at hand and saw her scenting the air as if searching for any signs of life. She strode toward him and in her eyes was a much different look now; confusion.

"Nobody has been here in a long time" She puzzled as she passed him on the broken stones and headed for the door. The robin's egg blue paint was peeling; the door knob was more rusted than the gate had been but with a strange familiarity Leah managed to get it open. "This used to be the Black place"

"Jacob's house?" Tristan asked coming to stand beside Leah in the foyer of the cabin.

"No, Billy's. It was his childhood home; Ephraim built it. God, if these walls could talk" Leah smiled as she turned and when Tristan caught the little twinkle in her eye he couldn't help but wish his heart could still beat. If it could it would be in overdrive right about now.

"What kind of stories?" Tristan questioned teasingly "Was this some kind of teenage make-out place in your day?" Leah's laugh echoed in the empty space.

"Mmmm...Something like that" Leah replied distantly. She was searching over by the wall of the staircase for something that was apparently hiding beneath the layers of peeling floral wallpaper. Tristan shoved his hands in his pockets and watched her dance her fingers lightly down. He couldn't help but grin when she bent down to search the floor. The jean skirt she was wearing rode up ever so slightly showing off miles of bronze leg. He suddenly decided it wasn't such a hardship having her tag along after all.

"Not that I'm complaining about the view or anything but just what are you looking for?" He asked and when she whirled to shoot that half pissed, half amused look over her shoulder, a lock of her raven hair fell over one eye.

Dramatic _and _sexy.

"There's a catch here somewhere. Quit standing there ogling and help me find it would you" she replied in her saucy tone. Tristan was getting to know her well now. The expressions she wore, the tones of her husky voice; he'd memorized nearly every curve of her body, every angle. He had already seen the little bump in the bottom part of the wall just below the cracked moulding minutes before but figured it wouldn't be in his best interests to tell her that. No need to piss her off any more than was necessary even if it would be enjoyable to watch the resulting fireworks. He walked over and ran his hand down the wall trying to make it appear nonchalant when he pressed the little button. Tristan feigned surprise when the wall cracked open with a plume of dust. Leah snarled quietly to herself and stood swiftly.

"How did you find that so fast?" she questioned with one eyebrow raised.

"This new vampire eyesight is a pretty cool side effect" Tristan replied holding back the wicked grin threatening to spread. He felt the corner of his lip go up. It was simply uncontrollable when she looked so sweetly furious.

"Just let it out will you and get it over with. We have work to do. Be serious" she commanded. Her eyebrows lifted to points as Tristan allowed the little laugh to trickle out. Leah held herself in the same authoritative position but inside she felt the twitter of her heart beating just a little more rapidly that was usual. His sweet laugh, something she hadn't heard until now, filled it up to near bursting. It was impossible to hold onto her annoyance and so instead she picked the door open with her long fingernails. It was stuck from all the years it had been abandoned.

Obviously, Sam hadn't thought about it or the new pack would have been using it. It was as if everything they had shared only lived inside of _her_ mind.

Had it been so easy for him to forget about her?

She walked into the stone corridor she knew would lead to the dirt staircase. It was dark in the tunnel and almost instinctively she reached out to grasp the old torch and remembered she didn't have a lighter on her. Tristan merely gaited out of the shadows and snatched it. With a light blow of air through his lips, the torch went to flame. It lit up the small space illuminating the walls and the memories held there in a blaze. Leah had followed this trail many a time with Sam Uley.

The ghostly reminders of her past were threatening to haunt her as she stepped even further down. Hearing Tristan's heavy steps behind her, she was brought back to a time in her mind when she had felt _Sam's_ arm encircling her waist as they both walked this path. She remembered the fiery torch blazing, the earthy smell of dirt, the giddy anticipation and the far off sound of the sea. The cave was up ahead; just a few more steps and she would be in the spot where she'd given her innocence. As Leah looked around the room she saw that barely anything had changed. It was like a shrine even if not all the memories here were good ones. It may have been the place where she'd fallen in love for the first time but it was also the same place in which Sam had told her that he was devoted to another.

Tristan watched her face settle into a distant pout. Leah's eyes were filled with sorrowed shadows. It was obvious that this place disturbed her for reasons that eluded him. Not really sure what his move should be in this situation he stood for a moment and just let her be. The need to touch her however, to comfort her was almost too strong to bear and before he could truly think about it he was already reaching out. His hand feathered on one of her hips as he moved his body up against hers awkwardly. Leah's quiet sigh mingled with the echo of the ocean. She suddenly felt as if nothing really mattered anymore. All of the hell she had been put through; would it ever have an end? Could she have anything that was completely, hers?

She felt the coolness of Tristan's fingers dancing on her hip bone and wondered if he might actually be her happily ever after. Finding it with a vampire was unexpected but then that was the theme of her life. She hadn't expected to lose her first love, to become a wolf, have her father die of a heart attack or to imprint on a vampire but all of those things had already happened. He was here and so was she. There were no hang ups left, no justifications to make, or things to apologize for. Leah refused to regret what she was about to do.

"Tristan"

He heard the way she sighed out his name as if in defeat and the part of him that had longed to hear her say his name with that quiet acceptance jumped.

"Yes, pretty Leah" he whispered directly into her ear and placed his hard lips against her burning flesh ever so lightly. Leah leaned her face back, felt his lips dangerously touching the sensitive hollow of her neck and the shivers that ran through her body. The way he said her name, so sweetly, only intensified her desperation to wash the memories away. She nuzzled him until his face came up.

"Make me forget" she replied whispery and tearful.

Tristan was baffled as to what it was that haunted her but at this point really didn't have the capacity to care. Their mouths were a mere breath apart now and though the terror threatened to consume her Leah was the one to close the distance between them. Lips met like cool rain dancing on hot coals, locked together and then coaxed apart. Tristan dipped his tongue into Leah's mouth groaning softly when her body turned into his. Her breasts were pressing up against him in a way that made him forget the burning of venom in the back of his throat. He had another desire now and the need to have her was strong enough to cancel out all others. His hands came up to clasp her more firmly at the waist and Leah felt his fingers digging into her flesh. Her heart sang.

She buried her fingers into his wavy, black hair and tugged him closer deepening the kiss. The pace quickened almost immediately and all was forgotten. The echoes of her past, the sounds of the ocean and the fear all drained from her when his hands went to work. His fingertips circled her nipples and had them straining against the black cotton tank she wore. She moaned against his lips relishing the sensations coursing through her. Tristan's eyes were as dark as blood, glittering and full. It should have scared her, should have had her running toward the mouth of the cave but she could see something else shining in their depths. He loved her. It was written all over his pale face. Leah smiled as she recalled something her father had always said to her.

_Every cloud has a silver lining, Leah._

It was damn well time she found her silver lining. She thought about that as the smile spread across her face, as her hand snaked down to hook into the dark denim he wore. She could feel the muscles straining there and wanted nothing more now than to peel off every scrap of fabric and just be with him. Tristan waited for the usual feeling he got when a woman touched him. That insane pull coupled with the quickening of a heart still beating. Of course, that didn't come. His heart was dead now though he felt more alive here, with Leah than he ever had before. It was different now, the rise of need. It was more intense than he could have ever imagined. More potent than any drug or any other experience he'd had. The snicker came out before he could stop it and had Leah pulling back.

"What's so funny? She asked flipping her hair back over her shoulder. There was laughter in her eyes almost as if she were taunting him. It brightened her face and made her look even more beautiful than was humanly possible.

"It's kind of like losing my virginity all over again" Tristan replied with a grin but it was Leah who pulled away looking suddenly grim. As if remembering something long forgotten her eyes searched the stone walls in a kind of blind daze.

"I can't...This isn't right" she whispered. It dawned on him slowly, the realization of what this place meant to her. He'd heard the stories about her and the current Quileute pack leader whispered amongst the rest of them. It was her former lover she'd boldly asked him to make her forget. Instead of raging at the simple fact that she was clearly thinking about another man he walked to her.

He would say his peace and then leave her alone to choose what she would. For a moment the only sound was from the distant crashing of the ocean.

"You know Leah, since this whole thing started, since I became...this I haven't felt a thing. I don't remember what it feels like to be happy or sad or tired, to need, to _want_" his voice went to smoke as he brushed a finger over her feverish cheek. Her eyes finally came back to meet his with such lovely intensity "I only feel normal, halfway human when I'm near you. _You _make me feel, pretty Leah. You _make_ me want"

The memories simply faded into smoke when he looked at her like that, when he touched her or spoke her name. The past mattered little with the force of the imprint pushing her forward and closer to him, her natural enemy.

"No..." The word seemed to get stuck in her throat and now, even her body was disobeying her. Leah's hand reached up to cup his long fingers against her skin.

"Make me feel" His eyes were red ice, all passion and fury dangerously tethered. Mesmerized by his chiselled smile and feeling the power of her connection to him, she let herself go. Their lips were locked before either of them expected and the shock of it was startling.

Like electricity.

Tristan's hands were no longer gentle and she was happier for it.

She had barely an instant to think and no time to change her mind before he grabbed her hips and backed her up against the cool stone wall. It was a little like being caught between a rock and, well, a rock Leah thought as she felt the hard sinuous length of his body pressing into hers. They fit together somehow and when he brought his face closer to hers she smelled the sweetness of his breath, felt the coolness of it on her skin and revelled in the anticipation. Though he looked a little like a greedy jackal about to swallow her in one gulp he took his time leaning in slow. When his lips touched her neck it was feathery at first just the touch of his cool mouth on her warm skin. It was to be the calm before the storm. There were little fires creeping along her skin waiting to be put out by the ice in his touch and his hands did not disappoint.

They were everywhere, dispatching clothing, inciting little flashes of pleasure and a desperate need to surrender all, only to him. Her heart was thudding like a jackhammer. Every separate touch, every caress of his lips on her hot skin was a unique thrill. Her hand fisted in all that silky black hair. Leah loved the feel of it slipping through her fingers. She loved the sensation of his naked flesh brushing against hers. There were no more secrets now for they were all laid bare on the cave floor.

Tristan felt something clawing within him, some primal need that had nothing to do with his heart although he figured briefly that if it could beat again Leah would be the one to make it happen. Sensations coursed through him, quick flashes of fervently dark pleasure. Tristan using his new found stealth gripped her hard and lifted her up to press against the cave wall. The sound of her hands slapping against his shoulders helplessly echoed while his other hand slid teasingly up her thigh. Tristan slid two fingers into her mercilessly driving her up toward peak. Her head flew back on a moan, her eyes were closed and her legs twined like ivy around his hips.

Tristan just watched her creep up, just up for a moment but when she threw that look at him, all spark and flame he was done waiting. The smoke in her eyes was all invitation and he knew without question that he was about to wipe that little smirk right off of her face. With one hand he pinned her against the wall and shifted himself closer readying himself for the strike. He leaned his face into her neck once more.

"I'll make you forget he ever existed" Tristan whispered cockily and gripped Leah's hips as he plunged into her. It was like sinking into a soft, wet blaze. Leah bit her lip trying not to draw blood but it was difficult with the onslaught of sensation coursing through her. The size of him spreading her, the heat and the mere bliss of being so thoroughly filled was taking her over. He wasn't gentle and strangely she relished the sensation of being dominated. Their eyes locked as if glued in place and the intensity of it was almost unbearable. The rise, the fall, the broken sound of his moan spurred Leah on. She needed to have control again, craved it like any drug and when she shoved at his chest she knew it would break his hold. They crashed like stones to the hard floor, neither one concerned about the damage and rolled in their war for the reins.

Leah rose over him with all that dark hair flying and the familiar smirk on her lips. For a moment Tristan let her think she'd won but with a canny smirk of his own he flipped her quick and swallowed her shocked gasp with his mouth. Again and again he plunged, relentless and swift. The orgasm hit her like a wave, shocking her system and leaving her breathless. Despite his iron grip she lifted up grabbing a fistful of his hair and felt his arms come around her as if in answer.

The low growl that erupted from his lips was mildly frightening but it only added another layer of heat. When he felt her tighten around him, when the groans had turned to breathy cries he let go of the control he'd held only mildly harnessed.

"Leah...Liomsa"

Locked together they raced toward the peak and Tristan's strangled whisper was the last thing she heard before the explosion cancelled everything else out.

"What was that?" Leah asked in deep panting gulps. She lay over his chest like the sole survivor of a shipwreck "What you just said just now, Liomo-something" she massacred the word rolling over onto her stomach so that she could see his face better in the dimming light.

"It's the language of my ancestors, Gaelic. Liomsa is how it's properly said" Tristan replied with a quiet grin his voice forming the word easily and musically. His eyes were bright and almost too creepy to look at in the dark but Leah held her ground.

"What the hell does it mean? Is it some sort of naughty word?" she grinned sleepily.

"It means "mine" Speaking reverently, he lifted a hand gently to touch the length of her hair, his fiery red eyes gleaming into points but that wasn't the cause of the fear creeping into Leah's belly like a swarm of angry bees.

"I'm not yours" she whispered in a hollow, almost astonished tone that made Tristan immediately drop his hand. He frowned at the bewildered stare Leah was projecting at the cave wall. She seemed to be looking around as if caught in a dream, or rather, he thought bitterly, a memory.

"No I suppose you aren't" Tristan's voice took on the keen edge of immediate resentment. He felt like cursing knowing full well just who she was thinking about now even after what they'd just done together. Sam Uley was here in this place with them, his territory marked and it was clear that nothing Tristan could have done with her just now would take that away.

It occurred to him briefly that maybe it had and perhaps that was the reason for her sudden panic but he tucked that away in favour of his misery "You think I don't know who it is that haunts you, pretty Leah? I know perfectly well about the boy you still love even though he ran out on you years ago"

"He didn't...he...it's none of your fucking business" Leah returned and her tone was suddenly as cold as winter.

"Aye, but I think it is my fucking business" he was angry now with the lilt of his Irish heritage creeping into his voice as it always did when he got pissed enough "You sure as hell weren't thinking of him just now, not when _I_ was inside you. That just burns your ass doesn't it? You forgot about him and now you're feeling guilty. Well that's bullshit, Clearwater and you know it" Tristan thundered rising up to stand in one swift movement. He hulked over her, fists clenched in anger and eyes burning with the sting of her rejection. Leah's torn shirt fell over the copper cream of her shoulders as she too came to stand nearly toe to toe with him. Her eyes were set in angry little slits, her swollen mouth still bruised from his and thin as a razor blade.

"I let Sam go a long time ago"

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that" Tristan stepped back but couldn't quite quell the hurt look in his eyes before Leah looked away. For the second time since they'd stepped into this place and into her past Leah felt ashamed. Hadn't she been the one to ask Tristan to make her forget? She all but begged him to take her and she'd be damned if he hadn't done just that. She had forgotten about Sam, about the pain that she carried around with her for so long it was almost uncomfortable to have it dissipate. No matter how hard she tried to tell herself that it was just sex she knew that something was simmering in the air, something inside of her was shifting, changing and she couldn't figure if it was what she wanted. Right now she needed room to breathe, space away from the anger and the hurt shining in those vampiric ruby eyes. She had to get out, into the wild and out of her head before the enormity of it consumed her.

"I didn't ask for this. I sure as hell don't need it and I definitely don't want to be in love with you damn it but I am!" Leah cried out. Tristan watched as the anger on her face melted into resentment and then to a hollow misery that made him want to go to her, to gather her up in his arms and make it all okay. He took one step towards her seeing the solitary tear glide down her face just an instant before she shifted. The white wolf cocked its head and took off on padded feet towards the opening of the cave while Tristan stood there dumbfounded.

"Go on then, run away. You won't get far" he whispered bitterly and had the pleasure of seeing the graceful wolf turn, her eyes sweep over him one last time in consideration before darting off across the rocky beach.

* * *

Reality snapped back like a fist to the face. Back in the present, Leah scrubbed her hands over her face. It definitely wasn't the best daydream she'd ever had and besides, it hadn't really been a dream. It was a memory of what came before war came crashing in. She'd run away that morning, gone back to change with the rest of the bridal party and tried desperately to forget it but now it was all too real. The silver medal, still cool in her palm, was a reminder of another reality she'd once lived. Would there always be this divide in her heart, the sting of this guilt?

When she heard the slam of the cottage door she jolted. Quickly she scrambled her way off the bed to tuck the little token into her jacket pocket.

"Hiding something?" A blast of air blew the hair back from her face even as Tristan stood against the doorframe looking pained.

Leah merely stared back through cool brown eyes.

"It's his isn't it? I saw the look on your face when Seth gave it to you. It was Sam's"

"Yes" she answered indignantly expecting an argument. Men, even the vampire kind were a jealous lot.

He sauntered into the room and sat on the bed taking off his destroyed boots. A few locks of that silky black hair fell over his eyes as he began to unbutton the equally ruined shirt. Underneath was a pale blue tank and the ripple of a body she knew was harder than rock.

"Come here, Leah. Please" He held out his hand. In his gaze there was anger and now Leah knew she was responsible for putting it there. Despite it all she took the offered hand and let him gather her into his arms, let him hold her there for a moment. Everything was so different now since last night, the pieces of the puzzle scattered and none of them seemed to fit together.

"I know you're angry. You have every right to be..." before she could finish the spill of words that were tumbling out of her mouth like lava he cut her off with a kiss. It wasn't tender or meant to bring comfort but the kind of edgy lip lock that made everything down to the tips of her toes tingly. Unease settled in her belly.

"You're bloody right I'm pissed but it's not because of some scrap of metal that belonged to your ex lover. I'm pissed at you, Leah for making yourself hurt this way" His words, like his kiss, were laced with acid. She suddenly felt very sick to her stomach.

"Don't you get it?" Leah cried rising until she was up on her knees before him "I did this to him. I'm the reason why he's in that pile among the dead. I loved Sam, Christ, Tristan I loved him and that love _ended_ him"

"You really think that's what happened out there? You _think_ you're to blame?" Tristan grabbed her arms roughly and held her out as if he wanted to shake her.

"Yes" she said decisively. Furiously she ignored the slow fall of tears down her cheeks.

"I thought I was in love with Sam. All those years, even after he imprinted on Emily I loved him or at least I thought I did. Back in the cave I asked you to make me forget him and for just a moment I did. I let him go and now he's dead. Don't you see, Tristan? I killed him" Leah sighed when all he did was stare back at her with baleful eyes "I mean, I know I didn't actually do the deed but in my heart I let him die and maybe that's why he..."

"Stop it. Just stop it!" He bellowed and for the first time she felt fear "You aren't at fault for what happened to him" Tristan fumed but his eyes lost their fury in the wake of her tears. He gentled the hands that had held her arms bound. When he saw the maddening shake of her head in denial of his words he had to once more fight that urge "He loved you, Leah. No matter what you think happened all those years ago, no matter what he told you, some part of him still loved you. It's why he leapt in front of you. He couldn't let you die"

"Don't you think I know that?" Leah's raw voice broke through making her feel like she'd been chewing on glass "It's still my fault"

"How in the bloody hell is any of this your fault?" Tristan thundered fiercely.

"I let him go, Tristan. I let you into my heart and I let Sam go and now he's dead. This thing with you and me it never should have happened. I never should've let it happen"

"That is such bullshit! It doesn't make any of this your fault. This _thing _between us is real. I know how you feel about me, Leah. I know about the imprint"

"How could you?"

"It's why you ran yesterday isn't it? It's why we've both been fighting it. A vampire and a Quileute flies in the face of every traditional notion but here we are. I'm just as drawn to you as you are to me"

Leah simply felt the weight of it all begin to fade. Relief fluttered into her belly to quell the nasty pangs that had nested there. The guilt would still haunt her. There would never be a cure for it but now she knew that someone understood, without judgement. Not just anyone but the man she loved and that was a treasure.

"I'm so sorry, Tristan, I'm just so damn tired and sad and hurt. I don't think I can make any of it up to you. I was terrible to you yesterday and look at me now. Still terrible"

"Aye, but I think you can make it up to me _my _pretty Leah" His eyes were gleaming wickedly, his mouth set sweetly in that carved warrior face.

"Stop saying that" she couldn't help the grin even as she sniffled away the last of the tears "I don't belong to you"

"We belong to each other now" Tristan murmured quietly as he pulled her down into his arms. He held her there until he felt her sleeping against him and finally, let himself relax.


End file.
